


Make the Clock Reverse

by Mysterious_Prophetess



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fix-It, Gen, Infrequent coarse language, Next Generation, Post-Game, Shasta's got a potty mouth, Spoilers, Time Travel, pre-written, very self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-08 08:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12860244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterious_Prophetess/pseuds/Mysterious_Prophetess
Summary: Time has moved on for the survivors of the Fall, as have their lives, whether they liked it or not. Yet, tangible evidence of the past isn't so easily erased.A mysterious man in picture of the past sets things in motion that would change the very fabric of time and space for Eos.





	1. Mystery Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shasta was summoned to Lestallum by her friends the Scientia's and the Argentum Twins after the Argentum Twins discovered a photograph of their young fathers with a mysterious man in black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Flower, gleam and glow_  
>  _Let your power shine_  
>  **Make the clock reverse**  
>  _Bring back what once was mine._  
>  _Heal what has been hurt._  
>  _Change the fates' design_  
>  _Save what has been lost,_  
>  _Bring back what once was mine,_  
>  _What once was mine_  
>  "Healing Song" _—Tangled_

**1) Mystery Man**

Lestallum was a shining city amongst the growing settlements of the world. The Independent Republic of Lucis had just celebrated its 25th Reclamation Day. Shasta Amicitia strolled through the heat, jacket in hand, wearing only a black tube top showing off toned muscles as well as lots of her skin, and a pair of loose cargo pants tucked into her combat boots.

“Liking the hair, Shasta!” She turned to see it was her friend, Tiffany. She worked for Exineris like many of the other women of the region. Not her, though. Daughter of the Great Galdiolus Amicitia, she was a hunter. Just because there weren’t any daemons in the world any longer, didn’t mean that the beasts they shared Eos with suddenly became tame.

“Thanks, I found a picture of my Old man when he was my age and decided to try it,” she said indicating her shaved temples, “It looked so cool my baby bro, Arum, immediately grabbed the clipper. Mom had to stop him before he hurt himself and actually helped him match me,” Shasta said.

“So, I take it you got the ink _after_ you left Nova Insomnia?” Tiffany said. The large tattoos on Shasta’s back were to what she referred. The black ink was impossible to miss.

“Nah, but I usually wear a bit more than this when I’m at home. Image to keep up as _the_ Gladiolus’s daughter,” Shasta said, “You see Cidney and Cid?”

“That way. They’re with Aduro and Candesca in the market. Candesca is hell bent on making a “new recipeh" with the spices the merchants just got in from Tenebrae. I’ve got to go or I won’t be able to have lunch on time.”

“Thanks, Tiff.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Looking good, Shasta!” Cid looked over at Shasta before he immediately snapped a picture of her. He and his twin sister, Cidney, stuck out amongst the mostly brunette crowds around them with their curly, bright blond hair. Cidney had inherited her mother’s looks, right down to her green eyes and freckles. Cid was a younger version of his father. He even had the photography obsession and a deep abiding love of chocobos. The duo wore yellow t-shirts and shorts with hiking boots. The only difference between the two was Cidney had cropped her t-shirt above her belly. There was a story behind their attire, Shasta was sure. Shasta also really didn’t wanna know. Story time with the Argentum Twins usually ended up with details she’d rather not have heard about **ever** _._

“It is good to see you again, Shasta.” Aduro Scientia adjusted his glasses in front of his grass green eyes, though the pale ash blond hair falling into his face probably didn’t help matters. He was wearing a gray leopard print shirt tucked into black jeans with sneakers.

“I’ve got it!” Candesca, his younger sister trotted over. Her silver blonde hair was in pig tails, and her light green eyes shone with excitement. She had on a black silver spotted tank top with a silver skirt and red leggings with black platform shoes.

“I’ll taste test it for you,” Shasta said.

“Shasta! You’re here!” Cidney excalimed.

“I’m here so what’s the big deal?” Shasta asked.

“We’ve discovered a mystery,” Cid said, “Take a look at this!” It was a photograph, old and partly destroyed. In it was— h _er father?_ Next to him were a younger Ignis Scientia without the scars on his face he was known for, and Prompto Argentum, though he hadn’t aged as much as their fathers had apparently. Off to the side was a young man with black hair and blue eyes wearing nothing but black.

“Who is that?” Shasta said.

“That’s what we’ve been unable to figure out. As you know, Nova Insomnia was built from the ruins of Insomnia. Much of the City was rebuilt from the outside in. There is one region that was simply flattened and turned into a park: The area where the old Citadel of the Royal Line of Lucis once stood. The statues of the Old Wall were moved there turning it into Statuary Park.”

“Really, those are supposed to be the Lucian Royals of Old?” Shasta said.

“They were!” Cidney said pulling out a notebook. She flipped to the back, “There are two extra statues that I know weren’t part of the originals bringing the total up to 14 Statues. That 14th is in the center of the park.”

“One of them I’m fairly sure was for the last King of Lucis, but I have no idea who the 14th is. Those who survived the Decade of Darkness don’t talk about the Pre-Fall World. The only records we can find indicate that during that era, the sun was never seen and deamons still roamed the world,” Aduro said.

“So, why are we in Lestallum?” Shasta said.

“Because look at the background! It’s the Disc of Cauthess!” Cid said. So it was, but there were pillars there that she knew she’d never seen. She flipped it over and saw the date stamp. This was only a month Pre-Fall!

“You saw it, I take it,” Aduro said.

“So, you think we can learn more if we go to the Disk?” Shasta said.

“We might find a clue,” Candesca said.

“Alright, let’s do this,” Shasta said. She glanced at the dark haired man. Whoever he was, her father didn’t speak of him. There was only one reason her father would refuse to speak of someone from his past. Whoever he was, he must have been close to her father for the pain to be that great years later.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Look at these, Cidney!”

“I see them!” Cid and Cidney were drooling over the destroyed metal mechanisms that had once been a gate baring access to the Disc.

“Niflheim in make!” Cid said once he got his hands on part of the door’s guts.

“So it was made by the now defunct Niflheim Empire,” Shasta said. She pressed forwards and looked down into the abyss.

“Did either of you bring any ropes?”

“I have some,” Aduro said.

“Well, it can’t be me going down there,” Shasta said, “None of you can hold my weight.”

“I’ll do it!” Candesca said.

“If I allowed that, our mother would **_murder_** us,” Aduro said.

“I’ll do it, I can even snap pics of what I see!” Cid said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Cid carefully climbed down the edge of the abyss and found a ledge to stand on. There were slightly glowing crystals near him.

“Here!” glow sticks barely missed hitting him landed next to his feet.

“Drop them to see how far down it goes!” Aduro said. Cid nodded. He snapped a glow stick and shook it before he dropped it. It illuminated a few more ledges as it fell but before long, it just seemed to keep going and going until the darkness swallowed it up. Cid stuck more sticks into his camera bag. He climbed to the next ledge and repeated the process.He reached the edge of the darkness, where there were no more glowing crystals before he cracked his last glow stick. He was also out of rope. He threw it and raised his camera following the glow stick’s path before it joined a faint glow at the bottom of the pit. So it wasn’t bottomless, but it was several hundred feet down. The glow sticks also weren’t the only things glowing. There was also something metallic down there. Switching to night mode, Cid nearly dropped the camera.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“So?” Shasta asked once Cid was back up.

“There are downed Nif craft down there! Some sort of massive battle took place here,” Cid said showing the pictures.

“There are also massive crystal chunks. So, we know what happened to those spires,” Aduro said.

“Which means that whatever happened here was also pre-fall and it is probably why the spires are gone,” Shasta said, “What’s this?”

“It looks like a tomb of some sort,” Candesca said, “I’ve seen this before, to the south.”

“Then we go there next,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Fallgrove was just as overgrown as any pictures Cid and Cidney had seen. Especially in the issue of Meteor Publishing’s “Wonders of Lucis” that Cid carried with him everywhere. The fact the photos were all credited to a “P. Argentum” might have also been why he loved this magazine.

“It’s….kind of a let down,” Shasta said entering the partly wrecked tomb. She found the badly aged note and handed it to Cid to document.

“Costlemark Tower? You don’t want to go there, do you?” Cidney said.

“Daemons don’t exist anymore, so it’s probably deserted,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

It was. By the time their car pulled up to Costlemark Tower, it was nightfall, and the doors were wide open. All enemies were strangely absent. As was any appreciable plunder. Someone had already cleared this place a long time ago.

“Guys, check this out!” Shasta looked up from inspecting a crumbled walkway. It was another discarded photograph. This time it featured a bunch of monsters and Gladiolus standing back to back wielding his signature greatsword with a younger Ignis wielding a lance. It was coated in dust and dirt but there was another date on it. It was after the previous photograph.

“I never knew your Dad was a badass,” Cid said after he took the photograph back.

“That makes _two_ of us,” Aduro said.

“Three of us, and here we thought mom was the family warrior,” Candesca said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The bottom level was a maze of transport panels that led to a very industrial looking central area.It was party charred, as if struck by lightning—a thousand times. Cid and Cidney inspected every inch.

“This is Solheim era technology, I’m sure of it!” Cid.

“This is the best find ever!” Cidney said.

“I don’t get why you two geek out over all this stuff,” Shasta said.

“We _still_ haven’t caught up to the level of technology Solheim had, so it’s a big deal to find any remnants of it!” Cid said.

“If you think we’re bad, then just listen to our little sister Nox sometime whenever she and Mama go on one of their gear head lectures, “ Cidney said.

“Is that a can of Ebony?” Candesca bent down and picked up a crumpled metal can and carefully worked it back into shape.

“That means our father and his friends made it all the way down here,” Aduro said.

“All of our fathers were down here.” Shasta said. She pointed to marks on the floor that had to be made by a great sword and bullet holes in other paneling. “My old man told me about how Prompto was a sharpshooter before he became a photographer.”

“I’ve always wondered something, though,” Cid said, “Papa isn’t from any family that would have known your families. How did they even meet?”

“Perhaps the answer lies with the mystery man,” Aduro said.

“Too bad any and all clues have been plowed under Nova Insomnia,” Shasta said.

“Not all of it. Statuary Park has pools of water around the walkway into it. People have said they think there are stairs that go into an underground complex,” Candesca said.

“So, we’re going scuba diving?” Cid asked.

“No. Diving into the pools is strictly prohibited. However, there areother remnants of the old underground system that haven’t been fully folded into the Nova Insomnia Underground!” Aduro said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

When they passed the check point Candesca presented the trunk of spices as the reason they had taken as long as they’d had to return to Nova Insomnia.

“We need to meet at the edge of Statuary Park in an hour,” Aduro said.

“Gotcha!” Cid said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“It’s covered with a grate,” Cidney said. Aduro had found an Old Insomnian subway entrance not far from the entrance of Statuary Park.

“Cover me,” Shasta said. She stretched out her arms, cracking her fingers before she strode forwards and pulled at the grate removing it with a grunt.

“No alarms?” she said.

“None so far,” Aduro said. She leaned it to the side,

“In you get, I need to pull this over behind us or security will be down on our head in no time,” Shasta said. The others scrambled past her as she dragged the metal back into place. Shasta pulled out her light and clipped it to her chest.

“Lights on!” Only one other beam joined the first. It was Aduro’s.

“It would appear the others didn’t take into account the fact we would be exploring underground,” he said.

“Stay between Aduro and me,” Shasta said. The cool, stale air made her pull her jacket back on while she walked. There were gashes in the wall tiles. This place had seen action. There was some flickering light here and there, meaning the generators for this place were still working at half power and—bingo!

“Look up and wave,” Shasta said.

“Security cameras! What a find!” Aduro.

“Now to find the security offices,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

It took a few hours but at around 2AM Shasta broke into the security office with a well placed kick.

“Cid, Cidney, you two do your thing,” Shasta said. Cid pulled out a flash drive and plugged it in as he began working on the computer system. Cidney took over and Shasta was bored.

“I have video, but if we want to get out of the tunnels before we get busted, we’re going to need to watch them later,” Cid said clicking several icons before he removed the drive. Shasta took the drive and shoved it in her cleavage.

“Why’d you do that!” Cid said.

“Do you really think anyone is going to try to take anything from _her_ boobs?” Cidney said. Candesca nodded. The only males exchanged looks and kept their mouths shut.

“The only one who has to worry about sneaking home is Candesca, and she’s with you so that will minimize parental oversight,” Shasta said, “So all of you come with me and I’m our alibi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to the fic I wrote a while ago and didn't post for some reason.  
> Anyway, in honor of the One Year Anniversary I decided that it was time to post a fix-it fic.  
> Since this is a Next Gen fic, the OC's will be front and center for a bit.  
> Don't worry, I did promise Time Travel, after all :D
> 
> **Kids' names explained:**
> 
> Shasta is named for the Shasta Lily (which is also known as the Mt. Hood Lily and the Washington Lily).  
> 
> 
> Aduro and Candesca's names both have to do with fire in some way or another.  
> Cid and Cidney's names are self explanatory.  
> Arum (Shasta's unseen baby brother) is named for the Arum or Cala Lily  
>   
> Nox Argentum (the unseen baby sister of the Argentum Twins) is named after the Roman name for Nyx, primordial Greek goddess of Night. Named in honor of Noctis.


	2. Don't Squash Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shasta and the others continue their search across Lucis, with one warning: Don't squash any butterflies.

“Your place is a dump,” Cidney said. Shasta snorted.

“So, the apartment's a bit of a mess; sue me. I’ve been out on several assignments until recently.”

Shasta cleared off space on the couch and love seat.

“The guys can crash out here. I’ve got a king, so you ladies can crash with me,” Shasta said.

“A king size mattress?” Aduro said.

“I’m nearly 6’6,”Shasta said. She ducked through the door frame with the other girls following. She moved and blinked for a few seconds.

“Here,” she pulled the flash drive out of her cleavage and handed it to Cidney who held it between her fingers.

“Thanks.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

A pounding at the front door woke Shasta up. She rolled out of bed and barely remembered to throw on a robe over her sleep shirt. She opened the door and looked into the eyes of her father: Gladio. At 58, Shasta had been told many times that Gladio looked like the ghost of Clarus Amicitia. Having seen a picture of her grandfather her Aunt Iris had salvaged from Insomnia, Shasta had to agree.

“Hey, Pops, what’s up?”

“I thought I told you to **_not_** explore the subways anymore,” he said.

“Wasn’t my idea,” Shasta said.

“You still did it.”

“I’m a grown woman, Pops. I do _a lo_ t of things you don’t approve of. Do you want some coffee?” Shasta said.

“Sure,” Gladio said. Gladio saw the guys on his way past and merely rolled his eyes. Shasta rummaged about her kitchenette and soon had the coffee brewing. Gladio reached into his coat and set an envelope on the island in the middle of her kitchenette with a thunk.

“What’s this?” Shasta picked it up.

“Weapons’ permits for you and the others. If you’re anything like your aunt or I were at this age, there is no way I can stop you,” Gladio said.

“Nice to see we’re on the same page, Pops,” Shasta said. She saw that there was even one for Candesca, with the stipulation she could only carry the weapons listed: lance, spear, or daggers. The others, it didn’t matter.

“Is that coffee—good morning, Sir,” Aduro was awake and looked like he was expecting the elder man to be angry at his presence.

“Yeah. Pops stopped by to let us know he knew that we were poking about places,” Shasta said setting the mugs down next to the permits. Coffee poured, silence reigned except for sips for nearly two full minutes.

“I don’t suppose I could ask **_why_** the five of you are poking around dangerous parts of Lucis?” Gladio said after he’d finished his cup.

“If you’d answer, sir, we might not need to do any further investigating,” Aduro said. Before he could even respond, Gladio’s cellphone rang. He flipped it open.

“Amicitia. **_What_**? I’m on my way! Looks like my interrogation will have to wait. Don’t do anything too stupid and don’t squash any butterflies,” he said.

“Sure, Pops?” Shasta said. She watched him exit.

“What was that last phrase about, I wonder,” Aduro said.

“Beats me,” Shasta said, “Maybe Mom’s studying butterflies?” Dr. Sania Yaeger was brilliant, though a bit eccentric at times.

“So, we have his blessing?” Aduro asked.

“And that of the Lucian government to walk around armed. That’ll make things easier,” Shasta said.

“Easier?”

“Next time we come across a grate, I can smash it with a sword,” Shasta said.

“Coffee….” Cid and Cidney made their way to the island arms out like zombies. Shasta slide two mugs their direction before she set about making an omelette. Candesca finally joined everyone in the kitchenette as Shasta smacked Aduro’s hands away from the stove.

“The only other person allowed in my kitchen is your sister—hey, Candesca—not you!” Candesca poked over and nodded before she shuffled to the fridge for some orange juice.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“And Mr. Amicitia was _ok_ with this?” Cid questioned. He held up his permit.

“Pops knew better than to try to stop us,” Shasta said.

“Could have used some extra spices,” Candesca said placing her plate in the sink.

“Says you. Anyway, we need to figure out where to go next,” Shasta said.

“We can got back to the garage and look for more old pictures,” Cidney said.

“Let me know, in case I get a hunting mission,” Shasta said.

“How is it that you manage to get by on a Hunter’s salary, anyway?” Aduro said.

“I also model for sportswear,” Shasta said.

“It must take a lot of time for them to cover up your tattoos,” Cid said.

“If they want me to model, they deal with it,” Shasta said, “Now get out.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta leaned against her jeep waiting for the others. Cid had texted for everyone to meet at the gates of Nova Insomnia.

“What’re we doing here?” Shasta said.

“It’s another picture I found. Look,” Cid said. Shasta took it. It was of their young fathers and the strange black haired man in Lestallum at night.

“They spent a lot of time in Lestallum. Maybe some of the older residents will remember him,” Aduro said.

“Even if not, I can try to find a new spice for Dad’s birthday recipe,” Candsca said.

“Isn’t your father’s birthday in February?” Cidney said.

“So?” Candesca said.

“It’s the middle of May,” Cid said.

“When it comes to the Epicureans of the house, it is never too early to start formulating a recipe,” Aduro said, “I can guarantee you the recipe he is devising for Candesca’s birthday dinner has been in the works since shortly after her previous one.”

“What does he do for your mother?” Shasta said.

“A full three course dinner and a night spent in Altissia,” Aduro said.

“That sounds kind of hot,” Shasta said.

“Ew!” Candesca acted like the teenager she was at that moment.

“Well, I have to keep my cellphone on standby in case a beast roams too close to civilization, but let’s do this,” Shasta said.

“Can we all fit in your car plus equipment?” Aduro said.

“We strap the weapons to the roof in my weapon case and make the skinniest three sit in the back. That’s the twins and Candesca,” Shasta said, “Not comments from the peanut gallery.” The three assigned to the backseat exchanged looks but wisely said nothing.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta saw one of the men whose wares Candesca was perusing was staring at them.

“Can I help you?” she said.

“You look awfully familiar,” he said.

“How long have you lived in Lestallum?” Shasta said.

“My whole life.”

“My Aunt is Iris the Slayer,” Shasta said.

“So your father is also a hunter?” the man said.

“Yeah, he was. Now he works in Nova Insomnia,” Shasta said, “Say, would you recognize a person if I showed you their picture?”

“I might be able to recall a person if you showed me a photograph,” the man said.

“Here.” Shasta handed him the photograph.

“I remember these men. The assisted my Grandfather and I with ensuring the services of a hunter we’d engaged to procure stock for us was holding up his end of the deal,” the man said.

“Do you know what the black haired one’s name was?” Shasta said.

“Does your father not talk about him?”

“If he did, would I be asking you?”

“Fair point, Miss. I believe the blond one, who looks like your two friends, called him “Noct.” The name appears to have been a nickname,” the man said.

“Thanks. Know of anyone else who may have known them?”

“The former head of Exineris was often singing this group’s praises, perhaps if she’s still alive, she might know more.”

“Thanks,” Shasta said. She took the photograph back.

“Find out anything?” Aduro said. He offered Shasta a skewer of meat. A man after her own heart.

“Might have a lead on someone who knew who the mystery man was. I got a partial name: “Noct.””

“That hardly sounds like more than a nickname,” Aduro said. Shasta gave him a look.

“I’ve got to track down the former head of Exineris. You four stay here,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Shasta! You’re back already?” Tiffany was at the cup noodle wagon with a piping hot cup of noodles in hand.

“I need some help. You know were the former head of Exineris is?” Shasta said.

“Which one?” Tiffany said.

“One that would have been around pre-Dark Decade,” Shasta said.

“You mean Grandma Holly? She spends most of her days at the school mentoring young ladies,” Tiffany said.

“Thanks. I owe ya one,” Shasta said.

“Why?”

“She might know something!”

“About **_what_**?”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta checked her visitor’s badge was on correctly. Lestallum High was the only school in the sprawling metropolis, but it hardly felt over crowded. Shasta had recruited for the Hunters but with deamons being extinct, it was less glamorous to be large animal control officers, but Catoblepases were still as dangerous as ever.

“Holly?”

“Ah, here to recruit more hunters?” the older woman asked.

“Not exactly, this is a personal errand. Can you tell me if you remember this man?” Shasta handed her the photograph.

“Ah, I remember him. He was the leader of that group, or that’s the way they all acted. Very good hunter,” she said.

“Hunter?” Shasta said.

“Never saw another so good with taking on daemons and other beasts,” she said.

“Do you remember his name?” Shasta said.

“Noct. They called him Noct,” Holly said.

“Thanks for your time,” Shasta said.

“Give my regards to your Aunt,” Holly said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Did you find out anything new?” Aduro asked.

“He was a hunter and he seemed to be the leader of the group. That doesn’t make sense. My father isn’t just some follower. Neither is yours, though Uncle Prompto on the other hand….” Shasta said.

“Hey!” Cid said.

“She has a point,” Aduro said.

“She’s right,” Cidney said after a moment, “It might also be how Papa even came to hang out with your dads. Whoever this guy was, he was central to the group.”

“Are we headed to Meldacio?” Candesca said holding up a small jar of what looked like thread.

“If we want to know more, I think we have to. Is that Cleign Saffron?” Shasta said.

“It’s essential!” Candesca said.

“There goes your allowance for the next _three_ months,” Aduro said.

“We need to get going, time’s a wasting!” Cid said.

“Calm down. First I’m getting lunch, then we’re headed out,” Shasta said.

“Right, because you have to pay tribute to the Cup Noodle God and all his high sodium glory,” Aduro said.

“Shut it, or you’re walking.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Meldacio Hunter HQ hadn’t changed much in 35 years, from the few photographs the quintet had been shown by their fathers of Pre-Fall Cleign. The photos that were bizarrely absent of the black haired man. Dave Auburnbrie was the head of the Hunter Organization, with his daughter Kim being groomed to follow in his footsteps.

“If it isn’t my favorite Hunter,” he said.

“We’re not exactly here on a social call. Can you tell us who this was?” Shasta offered Dave the photo. Dave’s eyebrows shot up.

“I haven’t seen that face in 35 years,” he said.

“Who was he?” Cid said.

“One of the finest men I ever met,” Dave said.

“His name would be?” Aduro gestured.

“Noctis. His name was Noctis. Noctis Lu—.” Alarm klaxons blared to life. “I’ll tell you more later. Shasta, come with me and I hope you brought your gear.”

“Always. You guys stay put,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The black and white monitor at the monster tracker was a relatively new compared to the relative antiquatedness of the rest of it.

“Blasted thing is more trouble than it’s worth,” Dave said smacking it to remove the static. Shasta rolled her eyes as she adjusted her criss-crossing weapon harnesses. Hitting tech didn’t really fix things in the long run.

“Looks like a massive surge of creature fleeing a midpoint, here,” Shasta said. She’d pointed to a spot on the map to the south and east of Lestallum.

“The OldAracheole Stronghold,” Dave said, “Once had a team take on a powerful deamon there. What could that even be?”

“I’ll find out and give you a call when I do,” Shasta said.

“Take your friends with you,” Dave said.

“With all due respect, they’re not trained hunters. They’re barely trained at all,” Shasta said.

“I can’t send anyone else with you. They’re all out managing the stampedes,” Dave said.

“I can handle myself, thanks.”

“I know that but it’d put my mind at ease to know you had any sort of backup at all,” Dave said.

“Please note, I do this under extreme protest. Should anything happen to the others it’ll be up to _you_ to tell their parents,” Shasta said.

“Noted.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“So we’re going with you?” Aduro said.

“Dave insisted. I’d rather not have you rookies slowing me down, but beggars can’t be choosers, so if I tell you to run, you’ll do it,” Shasta said.

“But isn’t whatever’s going on, you know, **_extremely dangerous_**!” Cid said.

“Yeah, well Dave thinks you’ll be semi-useful,” Shasta said.

“We’ll be fine, Cid. Papa got out of worse scrapes whenever he was our age,” Cidney said.

“Papa had others who knew what they were doing!” Cid said.

“Is it sad that _I’m_ the kid and I’m less freaked out than him?” Candesca said.

“No, that would be your Warrior Princess genes kicking in from your mom the Extreme Badass,” Shasta said.

“No, it’s sad,” Cidney said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta avoided the frightened animals as she drove up to the old base, the front gates had been smashed by….something or other.

“What is that?” Candesca pointed to a section of air just in front of the car, like heat waves.

“Heat waves, probably. I’m going to get us inside before I park, that way we can make a run for the car as fast as possible,” Shasta said. She pressed the gas to speed up as the waves spread and changed color.

“Shasta, I think you should—.” Aduro started to say.

“On it!” Shasta slammed on the breaks and the car skidded to a halt, but slid right through the waves as it cracked and made the instruments of her car go haywire.

“Guys.”

“What is it, Cid?”

“Car!” Shasta barely swerved to avoid a very old looking truck, which beeped at her. They were suddenly on a road somewhere in Lucis. Still the Cleign region, if Shasta had to guess.

“How did we get here?” Candesca said.

“I don’t know, but I'm finding a gas station to get our bearings,” Shasta said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Older Gladio has arrived (and just as quickly left). He's a very busy man.
> 
> I described him as looking like Clarus as an older man because in the _FF XV A King's Tale_ game, younger Clarus looks a lot like Gladio. Ergo, I figured Gladio would look similar as he reached the same relative age as Clarus from _Kingsglaive_ ; tragically, Galdio is older than Clarus ever was. My Older!Gladio is 58 and Clarus was killed at 55.
> 
> I wonder where they could be? >D  
> 


	3. Lost in the Time Stream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After driving through a strange phenomenon and being transported across Lucis, Shasta and the others meet three people who let them know their displacement wasn't just in space, but also in time.

“There appears to be a Coernix sign up ahead,” Aduro said. Shasta pulled the jeep in just as a shadow passed overhead.

“What the—.”

“Someone’s got a sick sense of humor,” Shasta said. Her face was set into a hard line once people in armor dropped from the hovering vehicle.

“Shasta?” Cidney said.

“You guys arm up,” she said unlatching the weapons’ case, drawing out her great sword and shield, slinging the shield on her back and charging off with the sword in hand.

“How does she know those aren’t just reenactors?” Cid said loading up his guns and ammo.

“Because, Reennactors usually carry a white flag with them, not the official Niflheim Coat of Arms. Only the Knights of Adlercapt dare fly the imperial Coat of Arms,” Aduro said. He was loading up on his knives while Candesca pulled on her dragoon armor.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta closed the distance rapidly and saw a trio of men were their real targets; they were going at them with real weapons! _Time to help the civilians_! Shasta took a centering breath like her father had taught her. Shewhirled the sword in the air and slammed it into the nearest goons, slicing through them and scattering parts everywhere but instead of blood, it was strange blackish mist and goo. _Robots? This isn’t normal. These aren’t the KoA; who the hell are they?_

“On your left!” a familiar cultured voice said. Shasta blocked an axe swing and kicked the MT-wannbe back. Whoever these loons were, they were asking for it. She whirled again and this time, switched weapons on the fly, stabbing her blade into the dirt and lashing out with her shield before wrenching the sword out and slamming it one handed on another seemingly genuine MT. They certainly exploded the way her father had described. Shasta looked back at the men she’d helped. They were staring at her.

“ ** _What_**?”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Noctis, Ignis, and Prompto had made a quick stop for their own sanity and foraging ingredients for supper that night. So, naturally, a Nif dropship appeared.

“This could get hairy without Gladio,” Prompto said.

“We’ll be fine,” Noctis said.

“One can only hope,” Ignis said. What they didn’t expect was for agreatsword to come into the fray. For a moment, the stature and weapons almost made it appear as if Gladio had rejoined them. However, the higher pitch of the grunts let them know this newcomer was a woman.

“On your left!” Ignis yelled as an MT Axeman was about to blindside this new combatant. She blocked it and kicked the enemy away from her with great strength. It was her technique with the shield that had the others shocked. She looked back at them revealing a startlingly familiar face.

“ ** _What_**?” she said. She glared before she too froze at the sight of them.

“Guys, is anyone else thinking she looks like a tan Gladio with boobs?” Prompto said. Ignis shot him a look.

“He has a point,” Noctis said. He warp struck the last MT unit, the flag bearer, ending the fight.

“Son of a bitch!” she suddenly yelled. The guys jumped at the sudden volume spike.

“What?” Noctis asked. Ignis and Prompto were just as confused by this.

“He knew, he fucking knew! _“Don’t squash any butterflies!_ ” He fucking knew!”

“Who knew what, exactly?” Ignis asked.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta stared at Ignis, Noctis, and Prompto. How was she even going to explain this.

“Shasta!” Cid, Cidney, Aduro, and Candesca arrived and the others just stared at them.

“So—.”

“Yeah, Prompto, we see the resemblance,” Noctis said, “Who are you people?”

“That’s an interesting question,” Shasta said slinging her sword and shield onto her back, where there were magnets to hold them in place on the criss-crossing straps.

“Am I really seeing younger versions of—.”

“Alright, let’s get one thing straight, we’re not lying,” Shasta said.

“And what would you be lying about?” Noctis said.

“My name is Shasta Amicitia. That is Aduro Scientia and his baby sister Candesca. Those are the Argenutm Twins: Cid and Cidney. We’re from the year ME 791,” Shasta explained.

“Bullshit,” Noctis said.

“It would explain her odd statement about butterflies,” Ignis mused.

“You’re not actually considering this, are you Specs?” Noctis said.

“I presume if I were to question the one you’re presenting as my son, he would be able to answer questions concerning knowledge no one outside my family would know?” Ignis asked.

“I should hope so,” Aduro replied.

“Let’s not ignore the fact he’s an _Iggy clone_ , and wait, your names are Cid and Cidney?” Prompto pointed between the twins and then noticed Cidney’s looks and let out a happy whoop.

“He figured out who Mama is,” Cidney said.

“Doesn’t help that you look just like her,” Cid said.

“Whatever, Chocobo-nut,” Cidney said.

“Enough! Mr. Scientia, please just interrogate Aduro already if that’s what it’s going to take.” Shasta was already rubbing the bridge of her nose.

“Very well, if you’ll walk this way, there are certain things I’d rather not those two hear,” Ignis said.

“I understand the feeling,” Aduro said, “Candesca, hang back.”

“Fine,” Candesca said.

“What’s with the armor uh Candesca?” Prompto said after a few moments.

“It’s trainee-dragoon armor. Mother says that the better I am, the less of it I have to wear. I think that’s silly. Why would I want less armor!” Candesca said.

“So, you’re supposed to be Gladio’s daughter? Or are you Iris’s,” Noctis asked.

“Gladio. Your friend wasn’t wrong to call me “Galdio with boobs and a tan.” In fact, after puberty, that’s what he called me to my face. Pops laughed and smacked Uncle Prompto on the back really hard making him stumble forwards. I don’t mind being compared to him. Though, I’d like to think I’m prettier,” Shasta flexed a muscle with a smirk.

“Could we be paradoxing ourselves out of existence?” Cid asked.

“Doubtful, if anything we’re creating another reality,” Candesca said.

“That convinces me she’s Iggy’s daughter but she really looks a lot like someone else we’ve met recently,” Prompto said tapping his chin.

 

“It’s a loop. Before this whole charlie-foxtrot started, Pops gave me a parting statement before walking out the door to deal with whatever the hell he was called off to,” Shasta said.

““Don’t squash any butterflies.” Sounds like something Gladio might say if he was trying to come off cryptic,” Noctis said.

“So, how did you guys even start a trip like this?” Prompto said.

“We can’t tell you,” Shasta said stopping the others, “We have no idea what that knowledge might do.”

“But we still don’t know who that guy is!” Cidney said gesturing at Noctis. Shasta face palmed.

“You guys have no idea who Noctis is? Did we have a giant falling out? Does he really look different in the future?” Prompto said. Noctis, on the other hand seemed….hurt.

“We can’t tell you. Because, we actually don’t know. Since one of the blabber mouths spoke up, all I can say is if a topic is too painful about the past, you, Gladio, and Ignis don’t speak of it; we usually don’t press you guys. If only we’d done that ,we wouldn’t be here possibly messing up the future!” Shasta said.

“I have come to the conclusion, that as impossible as this sounds, they are telling the truth,” Ignis said once he returned with Aduro.

“Now what?” Noctis said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“I can’t believe we’re traveling with them. This will probably end horribly. Especially if we run into anyone else who we could influence in a different way to alter the future for the worse!” Shasta was in the front passenger seat as Aduro drove, following the Regalia.

“What else are we to do? We can’t stay put or we might cause further damage,” Aduro said.

“And helping Noctis, who your father called “Your Highness” isn’t going to cause damage? That’s the Last King! How can we travel with them whenever we know that he dies!” Shasta yelled.

“Well, we don’t say _that_ that loudly,” Candesca said. She kept her armor on because it was easier in case of more MT attacks.

“We also don’t focus on the fact Ignis is going to go blind,” Cid said, “It’s so weird seeing what his eyes used to look like, like Candesca’s eyes, only nerdier!”

“Papa is almost exactly the same. Less tired looking but the same,” Cidney said.

“I have no idea where Gladio is and I don’t know why he’s not here,” Shasta said.

“Maybe he’s off with your Aunt Iris?” Cid said.

“Doubtful. Aunt Iris told us she spent a lot of time apart from Pops when she was a teenager,” Shasta said, “Aunt Iris always seems way too sad when she talks about this time in her life. Maybe she knew Noctis too.”

“It is very likely,” Aduro said.

“So, we’re headed to the “lake beyond the waterfall cave,”” Cid said.

“On my map, that means the Vesperpool,” Shasta said.

“Think it’s as big a tourist trap in this time as it is in the present?” Cid said.

“Doubt it,” Shasta and Candesca said.

“Daemons still roam Eos, remember?” Aduro said.

“Oh…right. So, um shouldn’t we stop for the night?” Cid said.

“Do _you_ see any havens?” Shasta said.

“I think I see one….nope that was just smoke,” Cidney said.

“There’s one up at the Vesperpool,” Shasta said with an eye roll, “But we’re a lot closer than you cry babies think.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Are we still sure that traveling with the Future Five is ok?” Prompto said.

“If it is a loop, as Miss Amicitia’s outburst would suggest, then we are acting in accordance to that loop,” Ignis said.

“It’s just—Whoa. What happened to “imperial lockdown?”” Prompto said as they passed what had been a checkpoint/roadblock.

“They all but turn the keys in the gates leaving them open as if awaiting out arrival,” Ignis said.

“And if anyone’s waiting for us, I bet it’s _that_ guy,” Prompto said.

“Chancellor Izunia.” Ignis said.

“Can’t complain, so long he lets us in,” Noctis said.

“Who’s to say he’ll let us _out_. Not to mention we have our guests from the future to consider. Only one of whom is fully trained for a fight. They’re a group of individuals I’d rather _never_ cross paths with Ardyn Izunia,” Ignis said.

“Gotta wonder why we don’t tell our kids about Noct, Iggy,” Prompto said.

“I probably did—will do something like my old man did with Cid and we end up no longer friends because of it,” Noctis said.

“I’d rather thought it was something else entirely. No matter, if we sit here trying to focus on future problems, they’ll cause problems for the present,” Ignis said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Why did it have to be _chocobos_ ,” Shasta said adjusting her weapons.

“You don’t like chocobos!” the two Argentum men exclaimed. Cidney just sighed.

“You try riding one of these feather pillows with _this_ equipment on and see how much _you_ like how much they clank against your back,” Shasta said. She gestured to her greatsheild and greatsword.

“I could solve that,” Noctis said.

“How?” Shasta crossed her arms.

“Promise to fight by my side as sworn swords,” Noctis said.

“Of course,” Ignis said.

“How does that work?” Cidney asked.

“You’d be linked to his magic and it’d allow you to summon weapons as he does,” Ignis said.

“That sounds a lot better than having to lug these around on my back. Pops did this?” Shasta asked.

“Of course he did,” Noctis replied.

“Sign me up!” Cid said.

“Me too,” Cidney said.

“Us as well.” Aduro indicated Candesca and himself.

“Suppose I’m in,” Shasta said.

“We swear to fight by your side, right guys?” Shasta said. The others nodded and they bowed at the waist. That was apparently good enough because their weapons crystallized and vanished. Shasta called her greatsword back out with a grin before releasing it.

“Now do you take it back?” Prompto asked hugging a chocobo. He gave her big, puppy dog eyes.

“Nah. Still don’t like ‘em, but my excuse is gone,” Shasta clumsily mounted her bird, a white one as opposed the the yellows of the other birds.

“Here we go!” Noctis said.

“Later slowpokes!” Prompto yelled taking off.

“Wait, Prompto! You don’t know the way!” Ignis tried to catch up to his companion. Noctis just laughed and followed them.

“Can’t beat them….,” Shasta spurred her bird forwards leaving the others in the dust.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The younger Bro's (minus Gladio) have arrived.
> 
> BTW the Knights of Aldercapt or the KoA are basically a quasi-neo-nazi group for Eos.   
> Everyone hates them.  
> They think that the Empire (Iedolas in particular) should have survived and been able to use the Crystal.


	4. Dancing Through the Winds of a Hurricane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis, Prompto, and Ignis have accepted Shasta and the others as part of their group, for now. They reach the Vesperpool where a very familiar person is waiting for them. A person the trio from the past would rather never interact with the quintet from the future.  
> In other words, Ardyn meets the future five.   
> Following that, Aranea joins everyone for a quest into the ruins, and some things are obvious to anyone with eyes.

Shasta dismounted and shuddered at the way the strange man the others were talking too looked at her and her friends; it wasn’t because she’d taken off her jacket either. His eyes were way too often on her _face_.

“As I was saying, you’d best come along. Though, I do hope your new friends are as handy in a fight as your missing compatriot,” he said.

“I’d like to think we’re more than enough,” Shasta looked over at the others, “Who’s he?”

“Shasta this is Ardyn Izunia, Chancellor of Niflheim,” Ignis said.

“A displeasure,” Aduro said.

“What he said,” Shasta said. Cid, Cidney, and Candesca chose to stay silent.

“How is it you three can trust these strange people while your friend is missing?” Ardyn asked. The looks he got made him smirk more, “I see, touchy subject?

“One we won’t discuss with _you_ ,” Ignis said. Silence reigned for a few more moments.

“Then let’s discuss why you’re here….Mythril, perhaps?” Ardyn said,

“This guy’s reading our thoughts!” Prompto said.

“More like he’s got spies everywhere,” Shasta said.

“An apt statement but, leave the talking to those who matter,” Ardyn said. Shasta snarled; Aduro grabbed her arm, stopping her from summoning her sword.

“Mythril, it’s a precious resource, you see, we can just let anyone get their hands on it,” Ardyn said.

“But you’ll help us get our hands on it, right?” Noctis’s tone was drier than Leide’s wasteland region. Ardyn overly dramatically gasped.

“I never said that!” he said.

“Lame!” Candesca coughed. Aduro cuffed her gently, while Cid and Cidney gave her down low high fives.

“Of course you didn’t,” Prompto said.

“Where is the fun in that? I thought you’d rather dig it up yourselves,” Ardyn said.

“Joy,” Shasta said. Tromping through the marshy-watery ground with a lunatic was always _so_ much fun.

“The ruins,” Aduro said.

“Yeah, those ruins, and it looks like _his_ people are blocking the way,” Shasta said.

“It’s—,” Candesca stopped herself in time, barely. She ducked behind Shasta. Yeah. She saw Aranea Highwind standing there too.

“Fear not—I’ll be but a moment,” Ardyn said waving for them to wait.

“A moment doing _what_?” Prompto said.

“Beats me,” Noctis said. Ignis was not thrilled with that answer. Neither were the others.

“All clear! Go ahead!” Ardyn said.

“Would it be rude to punch him now?” Shasta stage whispered.

“Very, I’m afraid,” Ignis said.

“Alas, the every wary, military—they’ll not abide visitors left unattended. I must prevail upon you to accept an escort. I’ve arranged everything,” Ardyn said.

“How kind of you,” Ignis said.

—————————————————————————————————

“So, you’re the new “recruits” sent here for “special training?” Nice cover, Runaway Prince,” Aranea said.

“Thanks!” Prompto said.

“Oh, come on!” Noctis said.

“At ease, “Recruits,” there’s nothing in it for this ex-mercenary to turn you in,” Aranea said, “Though, where’d you find a baby dragoon. I see you hiding, kid.” Candesca pulled her helmet on and ducked out.

“Alright, let’s just get this show on the road,” Aranea said.

“Show?” Prompto said.

“Did you forget about your “training?” Well, I’m being paid to escort you… Just watch yourselves in there,” Aranea said.

“I trust you’ll be civil. Commodore Highwind, I leave them to you,” Ardyn said before he left.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“So where do we go next, Commodore?” Noctis said.

“The ruins up ahead, but search until sundown, it won’t do you any good. If you’re looking to get inside, you’re just going to have to wait,” she said.

“What kind of place was this? Any idea, Ignis?” Prompt said.

“None,” Ignis said.

“No idea either, Cid,” Aduro said.

“I wonder what happened to the locals?” Prompto said.

“Why not head inside and look for ‘em,” Aranea said.

“Guys look!” Prompto said.

“Some kind of light?” Noctis said.

“Then entrance?” Ignis said.

“Yeah, it’s old Solheim tech. There’s a tower that does this too,” Shasta said.

“Bingo. You know your way around a few ruins,” Aranea said.

“Hunter. You see things,” Shasta said.

“So, were you five hired to escort them _before_ they got here, because I’m feeling like this is a really crowded party,” Aranea said.

“We have a common goal, so we joined them,” Shasta said.

“It’s also a bit of a personal story as such we’d rather not go into the specifics,” Aduro said.

“Right!” Cid said. Candesca remained silent.

 

“You know, hiding from me isn’t going to stop me from noticing the fact you’re my replica in miniature. You weren’t fast enough with that helmet, kid,” Aranea said. Candesca sighed and pulled it off.

“I’m Candesca. Trainee Dragoon lancer,” she said.

“Unit?”

“None. My mother trains me,” Candesca said.

“That’s enough, Candesca,” Aduro said standing next to her. Aranea gave them a look that said “I wasn’t born yesterday”.

“You look like him, but you have my eyes and hair. She looks like me but with his eyes. Your tall female friend looks like your missing friend, and the blond twins couldn’t be more obviously related to your little gunner. So, either you’re all cousins or you’re something _else_ ,” she said.

“ ** _Damn_** ,” Aduro said. Ignis shot him a look.

“So, since we’re in this bizarre temple of doom with magic doors, would you believe time travel?” Cid said.

“ ** _Cid_**!” Shasta, Aduro, Cidney, and Candesca said.

“I might, now that you mention it. Mini-me! Tell me something only my kids would know.” Aranea pointed to Candesca.

“You’re not actually 30; you’re 26. You lied to escape your family so you enlisted at age 16, but they thought you were 20,” Candesca said.

“Right, so I end up with _this_ guy?” Aranea gestured at Ignis.

“He’s not that bad,” Aduro said.

“Of course you’d be upset; you have his face,” Shasta said.

“Guys, take your flirt-fighting somewhere else, ok?” Cidney said. The pair looked at her before looking away.

 

“Let’s just get through these ruins to our objective, shall we?” Ignis said after an uncomfortable silence.

“Sounds good to me,” Noctis said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“The lights are still on, think the owners are still here?” Prompto said.

“It’s Solheim tech, it’s incredibly efficient!” Cidney said.

“Ancient-technophile, Cidney Argentum, ladies and gentlemen,” Shasta said.

“We’d better not expect a warm welcome,” Aranea said.

“Why’s that?” Cid said.

“She means there are probably monsters in here,” Noctis said.

“Oh.”

“What’s that!” Candesca had her lance out as skeletons appeared in a chamber with a puff of dark mist.

“Daemons!” Noctis said.

“Didn’t think they’d look this stereotypical,” Aduro said summoning his daggers.

“Less talking, more fighting!” Shasta said.

“Man she is _so_ like Gladio,” Prompto said.

“You said it. Hey, Shasta, Tempest!” Noctis said.

“Got it!” Shasta executed the move allowing Noctis to get a swing in with his summoned greatsword.

“How does a noodle arm like you swing that?” Shasta said.

“Years of practice,” Noctis said.

“Can we expect more of that?” Candesca said once it was over.

“Don’t doubt it, kid,” Aranea said.

“Excellent!” she said.

“Aduro, your sister has issues,” Cid said.

“No more so than your sister,” Shasta said.

“Children, enough fighting,” Noctis said.

“Yes, _mom_ ,” Shasta and Cid said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Wow,” They’d walked down stairs to find they were on a balcony section of sorts and the ceiling _was_ the Vesperpool.Shasta hadn’t realized that had been her speaking.

“Haven’t you been here before?” Cidney said.

“Only during the day. Curators don’t want tourists here at night,” Shasta said.

“People really want to _visit_ this dump?” Aranea said.

“It’s one of the many attractions of the Versperpool. Its chief attraction is its fishing,” Aduro said.

“Fishing?” Noctis said.

“Aw, great, now we’re gonna be stuck here watching him fish, whenever we get out of here,” Prompto said.

“You like fishing?” Shasta looked at him.

“Love it. You?”

“It’s great,” Shasta said.

“Good, you two can go fish together and let the rest of us have fun elsewhere,” Cid said.

“They have no idea what they’re missing out on. There’s a lot of good fish here,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“So, the floors are collapsing and reforming and **no one is acting like this is weird**!” Cid flailed back from an edge.

“We’ve **_time traveled_**. Weird is relative,” Shasta said.

“Not to mention all the daemons, Cid,” Cidney said, “You don’t see that in Eos anymore.”

“So daemons are extinct in your time?” Ignis said. Shasta punched a wall while the others face palmed.

“As far as we know. We were able to get to the bottom of Costlemark Tower and faced no enemies,” Shasta said. _Man that hurt!_ She shook her hand out with a wince.

“But that place is crawling with nasties!” Prompto said.

“Yep.”

“Why were you down there?” Noctis asked.

“Well it started when the Twins found a pic of you, Prompto, Ignis, and my father in Lestallum, then we explored the crater, then we went to the Fallgrove, and then we explored Costlemark Tower before exploring the old subways, and then Dave— ** _Son of a bitch_**! He knew too!” Shasta said.

“Dave knew about your travels?” Ignis said.

“He insisted I take them even though I was the only Hunter out of all of us. I’m punching my Dave when I get back to the future!” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Dave Auburnbrie of ME 791 sneezed as he frantically coordinated with his hunters to figure out what was happening.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“I’m sick of these Mother—.”

“Finish that phrase, Miss Amicitia, and I might accidentally “miss” and hit you instead of my target,” Ignis said.

“Why the language police all of a sudden? Is it because you brought our kids?” Aranea said. Candesca giggled at Ignis’s blush while Aduro sputtered. The twins missed their targets by a wide margin because they were laughing so hard and Noctis barely stiffled a snicker before warping to save the Argentum twins’ asses, but Prompto had them covered,even if he was in a similar state. He, at least, was still able to shoot and laugh himself silly.

“Is he this prim and proper when we’re married?” Aranea asked.

“Don’t tell her! You’ll spoil timeline!” Aduro ducked an attack from the flans they were fighting.

“It’s not a spoiler if it’s **obvious** ,” Shasta said.

“Not a fan of mushy deserts,” Noctis said once the creme brulees and flans were taken out.

“Definitely not the creme de la creme of deserts,” Aduro said.

“ ** _Really, Scientia_**!” Shasta shot him a withering look.

“Don’t lump me in with him,” Candesca said.

“You know who I meant,” Shasta rubbed the bridge of her nose, “Don’t start, Ignis. I grew up around you. You’re _worse_ with age!”

“Hey, she called you by your first name!” Prompto seemed excited by it.

“That’s a first,” Noctis added. Shasta threw her hands up into the air in utter disgust while the others laughed.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Are we there yet,” the twins whined in unison.

“Ask it again, and see what happens!” Shasta said.

“She really _is_ Galdio with boobs,” Noctis said to Prompto.

“I calls it like I sees it,” he said.

“ ** _I heard that_**!”

“Don’t mind Shasta. She’s the oldest of us, so she acts as the de facto big sister of us all, except Aduro, but they have unresolved tension,” Candesca said solemnly.

“How old are you kid?” Aranea said.

“17. I’m just a late bloomer,” Candesca said.

“Must get that from his side,” Aranea said, “How old’s he?”

“22,” Candesca said.

“And your surly friend?” Ignis asked.

“25,” Shasta looked back at them, “Almost 26—Watch out!” She took a hit from a flying monster that appeared at the lowest level of the ruins.

“Boss fight!” Prompto said.

“Is this _a game_ to you?” Shasta hard her sword and shield out and ready.

“I’m just trying to level up,” He gave her a shit-eating grin before he leapt into the fray.

“What is that thing?” Cidney asked.

“A Quetzalcoatl. Candesca, stay with me, and watch how it’s done!” Aranea said.

“It’s flying. Shooters and jumpers have the advantage,” Shasta said, “Alright then. Aduro, Sheild!” Aduro nodded to her and ran at her as she angled the shield she carried before catapulting him right at the Quetzalcoatl. Noctis kept warp striking it.

“Try that with me,” Noctis said once he was on the ground.

“Alright, shield!” Shasta said getting into position. Once she launched Noctis into the air, he added some extra “oomph” to his strike by warping with his spear right at its neck.

“Hey, fling me off your sword!” Aranea yelled.

“Got it!” Shasta ran over and held her blade flat side up. Once Aranea was in position she flung her and without pausing grabbed Candesca’s arm,

“Fling-time!” She flung the smaller warrior who managed to get her lance ready for impaling the creature.

“We have it on the ropes. Just another push!” Ignis said.

“Any magical weaknesses, Ignis?” Noctis said.

“Lightning,” Ignis said.

“Get clear!” Noctis had a violet orb in hand. Shasta had no idea what that was but she dragged the Twins and Aduro to safety, Ignis and Aranea had already gotten Candesca clear of the monster, and it turned out the blast radius for the massive burst of lightning that finished the monster off.

“What, never seen magic before?” Prompto said.

“Until this misadventure, I’ve never seen _you_ or Ignis in the field, let alone magic,” Shasta said.

“The future sounds peaceful,” Aranea, “How boring.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“So we came down here for this?” Prompto poked at the lump of metal.

““This” happens to be the rarest, strongest ore on Eos,” Ignis said.

“Lightest too,” Cidney said.

“Look, I’ll keep this craziness a secret if you let me take the baby dragoon with me for a bit,” Aranea said.

“We have to stick together. What if whatever brought us here randomly happens again,” Cid said.

“Plus, your “boss” knows she is with us. If she suddenly hangs out with you, then he’ll be overly suspicious of Candesca, and we really don’t need that kind of scrutiny,” Shasta said.

“Fine, but maybe disguise her armor better. Only Nifs have Dragoons in this time period and a kid her age is way to young to be a freelancer like me,” Aranea said.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Candesca said.

“You understand the risks, don’t you?” Audro said.

“I’m not going to hide what I am, and if I go with her, I don’t have to hide,” Candesca said.

“If you go with her, you might be trapped in the past forever and you’ll paradox everything,” Shasta said. All eyes were on her, “What, you never watched sci-fi before? It’s the butterfly effect. If my Pops hadn’t let on this was already a loop I’m sure the timeline would be crapping itself right now, but Dave knew we were a group, so a group we need to remain.”

“Fine,” Candesca said.

“If we meet up again, I’ll make sure to teach you some more techniques,” Aranea said.

“Is it true that the empire uses deamons?” Prompto said.

“You’ve seen MT’s haven’t you? They’re born from daemons in a lab. Darkness is coming I’d watch your princely behind—uh “kingly” behind.” Aranea walked ahead of them.

“Will do,” Noctis said.

“One more thing, His Excellency commanded I give you a lift back. Well, specifically the three of you he knew about in advance, but I can handle the rest of you,” she said, “Let me know when you’re ready to take off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a direct YGO abridged reference in here. It fit perfectly. :D  
> There was no way Candesca's resemblance to her mother was going to go unnoticed, nor would the extreme resemblance the others have with their respective parental relations.


	5. Not Matter How Far Away You Roam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forward progress is made, and a way home might be easier to find than Shasta or the others might have thought.  
> Though, as Robert Burns once wrote:  
>  _"The best laid plans of mice and men aft gang agly."_

“Noct, I’ve just received word from Cindy,” Ignis said.

“And?” Noctis said.

“We’re to return to Lestallum. Her friend at the power plant will take care of the mythril,” Ignis said.

“And that’ll takes care of our boat problem!” Prompto said.

“Though, if they’re tagging along, how big is this boat?” Noctis said.

“We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it,” Shasta said, “For now, let’s just help you guys go forwards. Maybe our ticket back to our time is on the way.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“He can sleep anywhere,” Shasta remarked looking at Noctis, who’d curled up inside the Regalia after it was loaded up.

“It’s one of his best traits,” Prompto said.

“So, how did you even meet him?” Cid asked.

“Well, it was elementary school….We happened to go to the same one because King Regis insisted on treating Noct like a normal kid and that meant public school.I was…shy because I was…anyway, I decided to work on that and when I was ready I approached him in high school and we were buds ever since,” Prompto said, “I don’t tell you guys about him at all?”

“Maybe you did when we were really little but not that I can remember,” Cidney said.

“Ok, let’s stop before we slip up and reveal even **more** information about the future,” Shasta said.

“She has a point,” Ignis said.

“Aren’t you at all curious how you ended up with **_her_**?” Prompto said.

“I think that part should remain a mystery until it happens,” Ignis said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Rise and shine, Prince Charming. We’re here!” Noctis climbed out of the Regalia to join the others who were ready to go. “Sounds like a spot of trouble’s popped up at the power plant. Wish I could help, but I’m powerless to do anything I’m not ordered to. I’ll leave the keeping of the peace to you,” Aranea said.

“Of course,” Ignis said.

“We got this,” Prompto said.

“Good luck boys and girls,” Aranea said before the ship landed and they managed to unload everything.

“Let’s find this Holly and figure out what it is we need to do,” Ignis said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

 _Phhweet-phooo_ “Lovin’ that outfit, Noct!” Prompto was promptly cuffed by Shasta who rolled her eyes.

“Why don’t _you_ wear one!” Noctis retorted.

“Well, that’s the only one. And if anyone stands a fighting chance in there it’s you,” Ignis said, “Forget about fashion and go.”

“Since this seems like it’s going to be a stand and wait here until he gets back kind of mission, I’m dragging these guys to the market to keep Candesca from exploding at the thought of how many different spices there might be in Lestallum at the current moment,” Shasta said, “Text me if you need us. For some bizarre reason, my phone still works, even though it should be busted.” Ignis offered her his phone and she put in the number while she copied his.

“Alright, let’s go!”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“We don’t have enough gil,” Shasta spotted a poster. There was some easy money right there!

“Let’s check out a hunt and get some money,” she said.

“But it’s after nightfall!” Cid said.

“So? Oh, right, but I think we can take them,” Shasta said.

“We’re doomed. We’re totally doomed right now!” Cid moaned.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Noctis took a few steps forwards in his “spaceman suit” before he heard the com piece spring to life.

“Testing, do you read me? Just wanted to thank you for offering to clear out these daemons! That’ll give me time to treat this mythril for you. There’s a Hunter who went in right ahead of you. I imagine there are too many for one to handle….but two of you should be fine and a little heads up: we’re getting some unstable readings from the generators inside.” Holly said. Noctis turned left after he crossed the short bridge and saw the other hunter in a similar thermal get up to his was waiting.

“So, you my back up?” he said. _That voice! Wait a second—_

“I thought we were partners.” Noctis said.

“Anyway, place is crawling with daemons.” Noctis _knew that voice_!

“Wait a sec. You sound familiar,” Noctis said.

“Save the talk, we’ve got hunting to do. Now, if we’re done with the introduction, follow me,” the hunter said.

 _Touchy._ The inside of the plant was red hot with heat and there were daemons everywhere, but they were fortunately of the weaker varieties: goblins and grachimaeras hanging about like they own the place.

 

“There they are, you ready to rumble?”

“Oh, yeah.” Noctis grinned as he summoned his sword. The hunter had a greatsword. What a popular weapon recently. Noctis nearly got swiped forcing him to fight. He fell into a rhythm with the hunter, almost too good a rhythm.

“Some pretty fancy moves you’ve got there. Reminds me of a certain king I know,” the hunter said. Damnit. Gladio! It almost had to be! Unless of course it was another time traveling kid of his. For all he knew, Shasta maybe had a brother.

“Fancy that. Not too shabby yourself. You’d make a good sparring partner.” Noctis flipped around a grachimaea’s swipes before switching to lance to put distance between himself and the monster.

“You think so?” That tone was so Gladio! Before Noctis could ask him, and confirm it, Holly came on the comms.

“Red alert, you two! We’re detecting a major power surge. She’s gonna blow! Abort the mission and get outta there!”

“I aint one to leave unfinished business. Can’t speak for him, though.” _Thanks maybe-Gladio._

“Then allow me. “I got this.”” Noctis switched back to his Engine Blade

“Well then, how about you prove it?” Maybe-Gladio challenged.

“Gladly!” Noctis warp struck a goblin obliterating it in one hit. No point in playing average hunter in front of a guy who was probably his friend. How the hell was he going to explain the others to him. Before he knew it, there weren’t any daemons left to fight.

“That all of them?” Noctis dismissed his sword.

“Seems like it.” Maybe-Gladio also dismissed his weapon.

“Nice job, you didn’t disappoint.” Noctis jogged towards the exit. He didn’t have to look back to see that the other followed.

“When have I ever?”

“*heh* Keep it up.” Noctis noticed that the place was shaking a little more.

“Will do. Now, let’s scram.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

It was nearly sunrise whenever they emerged from the plant.

“Great work in there! As promised, here’s your mythril. And thank _you_ for your hard work,” Holly handed Ignis the part while Noctis and the other removed their gear. Prompto and Ignis were more interested in the part, so they didn’t see that it was Gladio in the other outfit.

“Sure.” Gladio handed the suit back to her. His voice drew the others’ attention.

“Hey, big guy!” Prompto said.

“So, the “hunter” who went on ahead—“ Ignis began.

“The one and only. How ya been, fellas?” Gladio said. There was a brief exchange of looks.

“Not bad, though someone did a number on you,” Prompto said.

“You should see the other guy. Anyway, I’m back and better than ever.” Gladio gave a cocky grin. Footsteps had the others looking over. It was Iris?

 

“Noct. _Gladdy_! I can’t believe it!” she ran over. Behind her, acting almost like her shadow was Dustin Hester.

“Thanks for looking after her, Dustin,” Gladio said. Dustin nodded. Iris got closer and crossed her arms.

“So, Gladdy, did you apologize to Noct for storming off like that?” she asked.

“He made it up to me in there,” Noctis said. Iris looked over at the plant.

“The power plant? Oh, so you got your hands on some mythril! In that case, I’ll go deliver it to Cid. You’ll probably want to freshen up first anyway. Come and meet me in Caem when you’re ready!” Iris said. Ignis carefully handed her the box

“Do be careful on your way back,” Ignis said.

“Let’s get some food, and maybe head out to a haven. I’ve got a story to tell you,” Gladio said.

“Boy, have we got one for you too,” Prompto said. Ignis’s phone rang.

“Slow down. What? On our way. Noct, it’s the others. Their fearless leader is currently engaged with an Iron Giant to keep it off the others because they underestimated the danger of hunting in the dark,” Ignis said.

“Where are they?” Noctis asked.

“Just outside Lestallum, headed towards the Vesperpool,” Ignis said.

“Who are we talking about?” Gladio asked.

“It’s easier to show you than to tell you,” Noctis said.

“Trust us big guy, you’re going to need to see them to believe it,” Prompto said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

They arrived near the edge of the road and the pinking sky was helping a bit but the great sword and shield weren’t doing much against an Iron Giant. _Wait, what!_ Gladio rushed in with his own sword drawn and had to dodge a spear.

“He’s here to help. So are we!” Ignis threw daggers at the daemon while Noctis tapped into his armiger, damaging it severely. Gun shots rang out. Three guns, maybe more. Whoever they were, they had gunners.

“Fling me!” It was a mini-Dragoon. Whoever was wielding the greatsword flung the kid right at the Iron Giant helping Noctis finish it off. The sun fully rose and the others monsters evaporated into mist.

“Next time you want to prove yourself, make sure you can _actually_ handle it,” Ignis said.

“I thought I could after that dungeon. Live and learn.” Gladio’s jaw was dropped. The moves, the looks, _the hair_ , even the tattoos. There was one _major_ difference however.

“Wow. You have hair,” was the first thing this female doppleganger said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gladio demanded.

“In our time, you’re bald.” It was Prompto? No, the hair was too curly. He looked just like Prompto. _Six, they were multiplying_!

“Let’s stop beating about the bush, shall we?” It was an ash-haired Iggy clone.

“What’s the big idea? I leave so you replace me with not-us?” Gladio said.

“If only it was that simple, Pops. I’m Shasta Claire Amicitia. I won’t be born for ten years,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Let me get this straight. You guys were with her on a hunt because Future Dave knew about this and Future me did too enough to give you a warning?” Gladio said.

“You told me, and I quote, “don’t squash any butterflies.” We’d almost gotten out of you what we needed to know before all this, but something called you away, and one slip through time later, here we are,” Shasta said.

“How’d you convince me to let you get the tattoos?” Gladio said.

“I didn’t. Future You probably knows, because you know, but I’ve successfully kept the tats from Mom and my baby bro. Couldn’t hide the hair. Mom had to pluck the clipper from his hands before he could copy me,” Shasta said.

“Any reason you emulated me so much?” Gladio said.

“I’m a daddy’s girl at heart. You spoiled me a bit,” Shasta said.

“So, those two are proof Prompto will eventually wear Cindy down?” Gladio said.

“Them and their little sister Nox,” Aduro said.

“Don’t ask about their mom. Really, _don’t_ ,” Prompto said.

“Any ideas on how to get back?” Gladio said.

“Not a clue. We didn’t even find these guys on purpose,” Shasta said, “There was an energy surge at the ruins of Aracheole Stronghold. I drove my jeep into some weird waves and we nearly had a head on collision with a really old truck. While looking for a way to get our bearings at a Coernix station, we saw MT’s harassing these three. The rest is history.”

“What do we do now? I doubt them being here longer is going to end well,” Ignis said.

“If anyone has a suggestion, we’re all ears,” Cidney replied.

“What if you tried going back to Aracheole Stronghold?” Noctis said. The future five exchanged looks.

“Why didn’t we think of that sooner!” Cid said.

“Because we were mostly panicking about time traveling in the first place,” Aduro said.

“We’ll escort you there,” Ignis said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The stronghold looked only recently busted.

“Ah, I still remember when we busted this base,” Prompto said. That was why.

“No wavy lines,” Shasta said.

“How did you even find it?” Ignis said. Shasta thought about it before she snapped her fingers.

“I’ve got were we need to go next. We, the five of us, need to go to Meldacio. Dave will know, and that’s how future Dave knew,” Shasta said, “I think this is where we have to part ways. I don’t know what happens next, but that’s because I never pushed Pops to tell me.”

“We never pushed Papa either, and if we had, we’d have never met y’all like this,” Cidney said.

“I’m glad you did,” Ignis said. 

“Why?” Cid asked.

“Because, you’re hope. Hope that this eventually gets better,” Ignis said. Candesca hugged him tightly.

“I promise I’m going to make the best recipe ever for you,” she said. Aduro joined her in the hug.

“Does this change your opinion of me?” Prompto asked the twins.

“Yep. We now know you’re a total badass!” Cid said as he and Cidney dragged him into a crushing double hug. Shasta held her arm out. Gladio clasped it.

“I promise to come clean to my version of you about the tatts when I get back,” Shasta said before she pushed past it for a hug, which she dragged Noctis into. “Thanks for being such a good friend to my Pops.” She let go and coughed a little, 

“Alright, enough mushy stuff. Summon your stuff and stash it in the case. I have a feeling if we don’t want to lose them, they need to be there.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta pulled the Jeep into Meldacio with a few minutes of daylight to spare.

“So you’re the ones Ignis called ahead about.” It was a much younger Dave.

“Yeah. We need to scan for a strange energy spike. I’ll know it when I see it,” Shasta said. Dave led her to the machines and she scanned the readouts and carefully tweaked a few things. There was a ping.

“Dave! We’re picking up something weird near the road to Insomnia!”

“That’s where we need to go,” Shasta said.

“Not, now, not with daemons out and about. Just hold your horses until daylight,” Dave said.

“We can’t wait until daylight,” Shasta said, “It’s our only chance. And that means….we’re going to have to do this the only way we have: an extreme one.”

“Shasta, **_wha_** t are you planning?” Aduro said.

“I’m going to break all the rules of the road, Aduro, and you’re going to keep your yap **shut** ,” Shasta said, “Am I right in guessing no cops are brave enough to set up speed traps?”

“You’re not serious.” Aduro looked at the others who were slightly pale.

“As a heart attack. Everyone load up, I’m filling up my tank, keep the change,” Shasta handed him more than enough gil to cover the fill up.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“ _We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die! We’re gonna die_!” Cid kept chanting. Cidney was praying to the Six, Aduro looked a bit green, while Candesca seemed to be the only on who was having a good time as Shasta sped around the monsters that would form on the roads ahead of them, though, their headlights seemed to also keep them at bay?

 _Pops, I am going to kick your ass!_ He’d insisted she get the brightest headlights possible. Her phone went off. Dave must have called the others to try to stop them, but it turns out they were going to be fine after all.

“Aduro, answer it,” Shasta said. He did and put it on speaker mode.

“ ** _What the hell do you think you’re doing_**!” it was Gladio.

“Relax, our headlights are super bright, so they’re repelling the daemons,” Shasta said into the speaker Aduro held up for her.

“ _I didn’t know that was possible,_ ” Noctis said. Must have been on speaker too.

“Apparently it is. Our next rift is the road into Insomnia,” she said.

“ _Good luck_ ,” Gladio said.

“Wish your future self luck. I’m planning on kicking his ass when I get back!” Shasta said. It was half an hour before she even saw any signs for Insomnia. Another hour before she got to the gates, which were wide open and partly destroyed.

“There they are!” They drove right into the waves.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

_ME 791, 10 minutes after Gladio left Shasta’s apartment, Statuary Park, Nova Insomnia_

“Think this will be them?” Ignis had arrived with Prompto.

“Maybe. We promised not to speak of this until they got back to the future,” Gladio said.

“I almost forgot about it, you know, with everything that followed,” Prompto said.

“If I recall correctly, your eldest offspring has sworn to kick your ass upon her return,” Ignis said.

“She can try,” Gladio said.

“I dunno, man. She’s twenty-five, _prime of her life_ and you’ve got visual lock on _sixty_ ,” Prompto said.

“ _She_ never faced the Trial of Gilgamesh,” Gladio said. There was a wrenching sound before tires squealed and….it was not Shasta’s jeep. That was totally not Shasta’s jeep. It was a car the trio hadn’t seen in _35 years_ (though Ignis would be quick to point out he hadn’t seen _anything_ in 35 years). 

“I recognize that engine!” Ignis said.

“The Regalia,” Gladio said.

“I think we’re in serious trouble!” Prompto said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The doors of the Regalia opened and their worst fears were confirmed. It was their younger selves and Noctis.

“I don’t think this is Cape Caem,” Gladio the younger said.

“Ya **think**?” Gladio the elder said.

“Dude, he looks like your dad!” Prompto the younger said.

“My word!” Ignis the younger said, touching his own face. Ignis the elder could guess it was his past self’s reaction to his scars. Another loud noise and screeching tires brought forth the jeep. Shasta climbed out. Her next phrase summed up the situation perfectly.

“Well, **_shit_**.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep.  
> Chocobros in the future! This....cannot turn out well.


	6. The Flap of Butterfly Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the loop shattered, and Noctis and Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis in the future with the future children coming face to face with Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis's futureselves.  
> It's decided that the time travelers will change things for the better.  
> In one word: Atlissia.

_Earlier with Noctis and the others_

The morning following camping and getting the call about their suicidal future kids, only to find out they had anti-daemon headlights—which a quick call to Cindy confirmed their existence—they had been ready to continue onto Cape Caem, and then Altissia whenever they drove right through what they’d thought were heat waves. **Nope.** It was a rift. A Rift to a strange place where a Clarus Amicitia Clone, an Older Ignis, and Tired Prompto stood shocked.

“I don’t think this is Cape Caem,” Gladio said.

“Ya **think**?” The voice and the tone let him know this wasn’t his father. This was _him_.

“Dude, he looks like your dad!” Prompto said. That’s when Ignis gasped.

“My word!” Gladio finally noticed what it was that had freaked out Iggy: the older Iggy had scars on his face and wore sunglasses. He was **_blind_**. It was then that the distraction they needed arrived. With screeching tires and a strange wrenching noise, Shasta’s Jeep appeared. Shasta climbed out,

“Well, **_shit_**.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

At present, Shasta was certain she’d never had a bigger headache than with _two_ Gladiolus Amicitia’s arguing over who got to be called “Gladio.”

“Pops. keep it up and I’m going to resort to having them call you “Gladdy” like Aunt Iris does,” Shasta said, “You’re supposed to be more mature, take your full name and like it!”

“Fine,” Gladiolus said. Gladio shrugged, it wasn’t his fault, yet.

“What about the rest of them?” Cid said.

“Older Ignis will be Mr. Scientia, and the other Ignis, Older Prompto will be Argentum and younger will be Prompto,” Noctis said after a moment taking charge.

“Any objections?” Shasta said, “Ok, good. **_What the hell happens now_**!”

“I’m not sure. This is uncharted territory,” Mr. Scientia said.

“You’re sayin’ this didn’t happen before?” Gladio said.

“Damn straight,” Gladiolus said.

“Where are we, anyway?” Prompto said.

“Welcome to Nova Insomnia,” Aduro said, “Built from the ashes of Insomnia.”

“So, why is there this park where the Citadel was?” Noctis asked.

“It was pretty badly wrecked,” Argentum said, “It was also a chance for a clean slate and so the new Citadel was built about five blocks that way, and we turned the old one into a park.”

“Flanked with the statues that make up the Old Wall, I see,” Ignis said.

“Not all of them. There are two extra here,” Gladio said.

“One for me, and one for my old man,” Noctis said.

“Aren’t those statues added upon— _Oh_ ,” Prompto promptly shut his mouth.

“Shit,” Shasta and Gladiolus said in unison. Noctis was strangely….stoic about it.

“I take it, then that either a different house rules or no house rules,” Ignis said.

“No house rules, precisely,” Mr. Scientia said, “Officially this is a republic. There are, however, people whose roots run deep in the aristocracy who managed to gain political power.”

“On the bright side, no Nifs,” Argentum said.

“They’re the Cartanica Confederacy now,” Aduro said.

“The only “old” country left is the Accordo Protectorate,” Mr. Scientia said.

 

“Can we back up and face the messed up fact that Noct is going to **_die_**!” Prompto said.

“It’s alright, Prompto,” Noctis said, “I—I sort of always knew.”

“The Prophecy,” Ignis said.

“There has to be another way,” Gladio said.

“I wish there were,” Argentum said.

“Well, maybe there is,” Everyone turned to look at Shasta, “Your three don’t remember this, right?”

“Correct,” Mr. Scientia said. Candesca’s eyes lit up as she got it.

“That means they exist in a different timeline,” Candesca said.

“Which means that while _our_ future is set in stone, their future can be changed for the better,” Aduro explained.

“Quick! Name something that needs changed! Anything y’all’ve always regretted,” Cidney said.

“Altissia,” the three men said in unison.

“How wrong does it go?” Noctis asked.

“Ardyn murders Lady Lunafreya,” Ignis said.

“Iggy gets blinded,” Gladilous said.

“And with the Oracle dead, the light vanishes,” Argentum said.

“So, we need to save Luna,” Noctis said.

“It’s not that easy. In order to get the Secretary’s blessing, we’re split up to help ensure the safety of Altissia,” Mr. Scientia said.

“Then they go back with extra hands,” Shasta said.

“Whoa! We just got _back_ to the future,” Cid said.

“Then stay here with Mama and Nox,” Cidney said standing next to Shasta.

“I’m going too!” Candesca said.

“No, you’re not.” Though she was 61, one would never know it looking at the retired Commodore Highwind. Aranea still struck a _very_ imposing figure.

“No, I’m not,” Candesca said standing by her mother’s side.

“You could all die,” Noctis said.

“Then we die helping you guys get a brighter future, and we’ll still exist in your future timelines, if you don’t screw it up too badly,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Well, this is unexpected—ouch!” Dave rubbed his arm after Shasta had slugged him.

“That’s for tricking me into dragging those rookies into the past!” Shasta said.

“That would have been _our_ doing,”

“Mr. Scientia, you’re too important to Nova Insomnia,” Shasta said. Noctis, Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto exchanged looks.

“He’s not the one going back with you. _I am_ ,” Gladiolus was decked out in his old Kingsglaive gear and it still fit very well.

“Me too,” Argentum was similarly kitted out.

“Why?” Noctis said.

“At least one version of us deserves a complete happily ending, don’t cha think?” Argentum said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The rift, this time, was at Fort Vaullery.

“Ready?” Shasta asked from her jeep, it was a conference call between her phone and Gladiolus’s phone, which had been handed off to Gladio, and Argentum’s phone.

“As we’ll ever be,” Noctis said.

“Punch it!” Gladiolus ordered through Argentum’s phone. They drove and the waves seemed to be larger than ever.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

They arrived outside Cape Caem. All three cars nearly smashing into one another. The noise had brought Iris running with Talcott not too far behind her. The past quartet got out first.

“Is everyone alright?” Ignis asked.

“Peachy-Keen,” Shasta said climbing out of the jeep. Audro and the twins joined her.

“Gladdy who is that?” Iris was opening starring at Shasta as it was, so when Gladiolus exited his car, with Argentum flanking him Iris nearly fainted.

“Daddy?”

“Afraid not,” Gladiolus said.

“It’s a long story,” Gladio said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“You idiots think we’re going to believe a story like that?” Elder Cid asked. The adults of Cape Caem, and Talcott too, had been gathered in the hanger bay of Cape Caem.

“You gotta better explanation?” Gladiolus asked, arms crossed, “Or can you explain why Cidney looks just like Cindy?” Cidney gave a half wave to her younger mother and the great-grandfather she barely remembered.

“Supposing we believe you, how will y’all be getting over to Altissia? There’s barely room enough on the boat for five.” Elder Cid fixed the future six a look.

“I’ll be stealing an airship,” Argentum said.

“I learn how to fly one of those?” Prompto asked.

“I dared him he couldn’t,” Gladiolus explained.

“I proved him wrong!”

“I wonder if you are any better at it than you are with your land vehicle skills,” Ignis mused.

“Hey!” both Prompto and Argentum were offended.

“Plus, he’s not that bad at forging documents, so that takes care of our entry permits.” Gladiolus gestured at the future group.

“I guess we’ll be meeting you over there,” Noctis said.

“It’s a promise.” Shasta gripped his arm.

“Alright, let’s go steal us an airship!” Argentum said.

“There were a few left over at that base you busted, so what about there?” Younger Cid said.

“Right! Let’s go. Allons-y!” Argentum ran ahead of the others who face palmed, except Prompto whose eyes were shiny with admiration.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Argentum worked on getting the ship ready for take-off, leaving Cid and Cidney to salvage what looked like jet-skis.

“There’s no way we’re going to be allowed to fly this sucker right in,” Argentum said once he was done.

“Good thing we found these!” Cidney said.

“That’s great and they should probably work about the same as snowmobiles!” Argentum said.

“How do you know how to ride one of those?” Shasta asked.

“That’s a good question. I’ll be answering that— _never_ ,” Argentum said.

“They should work, but how are we going to get these within a suitable distance of Altissia?” Aduro asked.

“I have an idea,” Gladiolus said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Shasta, your dad’s ideas suck!” Cid yelled as they dropped from the airship, which crashed into the ocean nearby, while on their jet skis. They all landed with a bit of a flop but the jet skis took the hit and they were able to keep on going. Shasta drove one with Aduro, Gladiolus drove another with Cidney, while Argnetum had Cid with him. They zipped up the canal only pausing for Gladiolus to present their forged papers, kept safe in a water-tight bag in his coat pocket, and they progressed further into the city.

An hour later, Noctis and the others arrived.

“Have fun?” Noctis asked.

“You saw that?” Shasta said.

“It looked **_awesome_** ,” Prompto said.

“Sure didn’t _feel_ awesome,” Cid muttered. Argentum shrugged,

“I don’t know where I went wrong with him.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“I think I like past Maago better than future,” Shasta said after she walked back with a plate of food earning looks from the others, “ ** _Lay off me, I’m starving_**!” The Secretary took the larger Lucian continent in stride, even with a bit of a double take at looking at Shasta. Though, that could have been because she was very unladylike while stuffing her face (ask her if she cared: she didn’t).

“Whatever she says, I’m sticking with Lady Lunafreya during the rite,” Shasta said.

“You’re not even a proper shield—.” Gladio and Gladiolus said but the glare she gave them shut them up.

“I’m a good enough shield to keep her from being murdered,” Shasta said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

The morning of the rite everyone was getting into position. Someone had dug up a female guard uniform in Shasta’s size, as well as a hat for her to wear to appear as if she was merely part of the Altissian Guard protecting Lunafreya. The others had been scattered across the city for evacuation purposes. Aduro was in the same sector with Ignis, at his own insistence. Gladio and Gladiolus were in separate sectors, as were the Argentums.

“You may leave me now,” Lunafreya said to Shasta as soon as they reached the altar.

“Like hell I am, Lady Lunafreya!” Shasta ripped the uniform off and summoned her sword and shield, “I’m here to make sure nothing happens to you.”

“Are you with Noctis?” Lunafreya asked.

“Yeah. Call me Shasta.”

“Do not try to interfere with Leviathan, it will end badly for everyone,” Lunafreya said.

“I ain’t here to deal with that over grown water snake. I’m here to keep you from being murdered by someone else,” Shasta said.

“I see. Very well.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Noctis slammed into the floating debris **_hard_** and could see Ardyn had arrived at the altar. Shasta had already intercepted him. She seemed to be having trouble keeping him away from Luna, but it worked because she bought Luna the time to do something with a trident as golden power surged into him, giving him a second wind to fight the goddess.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Shasta couldn’t believe how hard it was to deflect this fucker!

“A Queen’s shield, are you?” Ardyn sneered.

“An Anti-Prick shield, actually!” Shasta forced him back only for him to warp. She barely got her shield in the way of his dagger, again. He switched to a spear and nearly skewered Shasta through, but a thrown shield made him dodge back. Gladiolus had arrived.

“Nice timing, Pops!”

“Anytime.”

“I see that I’m not wanted here,” Ardyn said before he walked away into his airship.

“What were you two doing?” Lunafreya asked.

“What needed to be done. You dying here: a really bad thing for Eos,” Gladiolus said.

“But I-.”

“Look, we know about the Prophecy! They’re all about loop holes,” Shasta said, “So, we’re working on those.” Noctis finally struck a blow against Leviathan that she felt.

“I’m going to where Ignis and Aduro are. Stay with her,” Gladiolus said before he leapt away.

“Sure thing, Pops!”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Ignis was pinned down by MTs while Ardyn loomed over him, until a spear was thrown at him, making him take a step back. Daggers embedded themselves into the troopers killing them and letting Ignis scramble up to his feet summoning his own spear while Aduro arrived on the scene. A bunch of troopers being thrown into the air by massive strikes let them know Gladiolus had arrived.

“You again? Are you determined to ruin all of my plans today?” Ardyn asked.

“Actually, yes. Yes I am!” Gladiolus snarled.

“Not just him!” Argnetum rolled into view guns drawn, while the Twins jogged into view with rifles slung over their shoulders.

“I’m guessing you left that annoying female clone of yours guarding the Oracle?” Ardyn said.

“You bet your ass,” Gladiolus said.

“Fine, you’ll have to make your way to Gralea anyway,” Ardyn seemed put out especially after Titan showed up preventing Leviathan’s hissyfit from leveling the city.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Argentum and Gladiolus seemed to flicker a little bit as they helped with the clean up efforts.

“Don’t tell me we erased our timeline!” Cid yelled.

“If that was true, you kids would be fading from existence and looking all ghosty,” Argentum said.

“We might be adjusting to the changes, though,” Gladiolus said, “Because—look out!”There was another ripple indicating a rift and this time a person fell out of it.

“What the hell?”They stood up and it was a younger man with bright blond hair but familiar blue eyes. Noctis’s eyes. In fact, aside from the blond strands, he looked _just_ like Noctis. Shasta finally arrived seeing the newcomer.

“Who the hell are you?” Shasta asked.

“Very funny Shasta,” he said.

“Nah, if she was kidding, she might have said who the _fuck_ are you,” Cid said, “So, yeah, who are you and why do you seem to know us?”

“If I had to take a wild guess, you’re Noct’s kid, right?” Argentum said.

“Solis Lucis Caelum,” he said.

“Ok, you’re in the past, but you’re not in _your_ past. We’ve got a bit of a timeline tangle going on right now. Though, you being here means we’re on the right track,” Gladiolus said.

“Are you kidding me?” Solis asked.

“How else do you explain any of this?” Shasta asked. Solis opened his mouth and shut it with a click. “That’s what I thought.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

At the end of a long day of helping with the clean up efforts, even Solis who was handed a pair of gloves and told pitch in, they headed to the First Secretary’s Estate where Noctis and Lunafreya were recovering from the Rite. First Secretary Claustra barely batted an eye at Solis’s appearance and they entered the main sitting room to find Lunafreya was sitting on a nice couch enjoying tea wearing a robe over a loose nightgown. Her various injuries from the Levaithan’s lashing out had been treated. Her eyes widened whenever she spotted Solis standing on the edge of the group with the Argentum twins, Prompto and Argentum.

“Would you believe that they’re here from time travel?” Prompto said gesturing to the time travelers.

“At this point, I suppose I would have no choice,” Lunafreya said, “Who are you?”

“I will be his daughter. This one is him in about 35 years,” Shasta said gesturing from Gladio to Gladiolus.

“I’m his son,” Aduro said gesturing to Ignis. Prompto proudly pointed to the twins and Argentum.

“That’s me and my twins,” he said.

“Who might you be?” Lunafreya asked.

“Solis Lucis Caelum,” Solis said, “I guess I’m yours and Noctis’s son from a different timeline than the others but I have versions of them in my timeline.”

“Who are all of you and why is it you are disturbing my sister?” Everyone in the group turned to see it was Ravus. Solis looked between his uncle and his young mother.

“Now all we need is—.” Ignis was cut off by footsteps.

“Ravus!” Noctis was in the doorway.

“You were barely able to prove yourself worthy,” Ravus sneered.

“Do not fight!” Lunafreya ordered, “Everyone have a seat. Noctis. By me. Ravus, if you wish to upset me further, speak more.” Ravus scowled but took a seat on her other side. Noctis, still in his slightly rumpled clothes, took a seat next to Lunafreya. Everyone else scrambled for spots on other guest furniture. Shasta just plopped down on the ground, much to Gladiolus’s distaste, but to Gladio’s amusement.

“Wait, who’s he?” Noctis asked pointing at Solis.

“You knew of the others?” Lunafreya said.

“Yeah. We ran into them in Lucis, but he wasn’t with them,” Noctis said, “We were changing an event to make a better future.”

“That’s our future son, Solis,” Lunafreya said. Noctis did a double take.

“Oh. Um, nice to meet you?”

“You’re still awkward as King, if it makes you feel any better,” Solis said.

“You believe that they—.”

“We did, so shut it, Ravus, or do you want me to show you what a proper Shield can do?” Gladiolus asked.

“Make that two Shields.”

“Wait, you’re Gladio?” Solis said. He pointed at Gladio.

“Yeah.”

“You have _hair_.”

“I think we have our daughter to blame for that one,” Gladiolus said looking at Solis and then at Shasta.

“Chances are I did it, so what?” Shasta was unashamed and not sorry.

“None of this “our” shit. I probably haven’t met her mother yet,” Gladio said.

“But y-.”

“Ixnay onay ethay uturefay,” Cidney had Cid’s mouth covered. Shasta face palmed.

“Solis, since you’re from the changed timeline, why don’t you tell us about any events in your line that might need changing,” Aduro said.

“Changing?”

“We saved Lady Lunafreya from death, and therefore your timeline seemed to come into existence,” Ignis said.

“Oh. I don’t know if there is anyway to fix the only thing I wish we could,” Solis said, “It has to do with the prophecy.”

“Me. I’m still dead, aren’t I?” Noctis said. Solis looked off to the side and shook his head.

“Mother dies. She does something to….take your place,” Solis said.

“So after all of this Lady Lunafreya still dies?” Prompto said.

“It’s an Oracle’s fate,” Lunafreya said.

“I will not allow it,” Ravus declared.

“You’re dead too, Uncle Ravus,” Solis said, “You died before I was ever born from that magitek arm turning you into a daemon.” Ravus jerked away from Lunafreya and stared at the metal arm in horror.

“Perhaps we need to prevent him from losing his arm as well as preventing my death here,” Lunafreya said, “Though, that would mean sending someone back in time to the fall of Insomnia, and the less of you the better.”

“Why’s that?” Shasta said.

“We’d be too noticeable. Especially any of us,” Gladio said gesturing to the males of the group.

“But if we girls and Solis went, we could be mostly ignored,” Cidney said, “Shasta might look just like you, but everyone knows that there are only two Amicitia children and would overlook her. No one’s seen my mama yet in that timeline. Solis might look just like Noctis, but he’s blond and that’s enough to throw people.”

“She has a point,” Ignis said.

“But you don’t even remember me yet,” Solis said.

“If we do this, I bet we will,” Cidney said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It hurt my soul to write "y'all've" as an English major.
> 
> Yep, they changed Alitissia's little charlie-foxtrot. I know this is now massively AU since Episode Ignis is due out soon.  
> Though this wasn't mentioned in the fic (because adding it would have been exposition) Older!Ignis is actually the Chancellor of the Republic of Lucis. Hence, too important to go back in time. Older!Gladiolus is the head of the City Guard, and still considered Important, but he has Iris as his second in command and trusts her to do a good job incase the worst should happen while he and Older!Prompto are in the past trying to fix the timelines for their alternate younger selves.  
> Older!Prompto is one of the best photographers on Eos.  
> Older!Aranea is retired but she trains the military.  
> Older!Cor is happily retired to a tropical locale. _**Just Kidding**_! He's retired but he's in Nova Insomnia where he can help the remaining Chocobro's when needed. Mostly he's known as Grandpa Cor and the kids visit him most holidays.
> 
> **Solis Lucis Caelum** : In the timeline he comes from Luna survived Altissia because of Ravus's interference. He managed to buy her more time to live, but it sped up the progression of his starscourge (via his magitek arm) forcing a confrontation with Daemon!Ravus much sooner. Luna and Noctis awkwardly connect with one another and Noctis's absorption with the Crystal goes as planned, but thanks to Luna not being dead, day light isn't as weak as it was in other timelines allowing Noctis to emerge from the Crystal a bit sooner, but Ardyn being Ardyn, is pissy because it was supposed to be ten years, so he seals off Insomnia for the remaining years.  
> Its in this time that Solis is conceived and born, much to everyone's shock because Luna's health made it seem impossible.  
> Noctis faces Ardyn, but Luna uses a loophole with the Prophecy (Noctis was technically dead for a moment) to then take his place and give him back his life. This makes Solis the oldest member of his timeline by a year. Making him 26. Without crystal to prematurely age him, Solis at 26 still greatly resembles Noctis at 20.  
> Solis's first name is Latin for "sun" and as a phrase his name means: "Light the Sky."  
> Idolizes his father.
> 
> Add March 9, 2018:  
> Thanks to Comrades I can mock up a Solis avatar without doing a shitty job of recoloring a Noctis picture  
> 


	7. A Stitch in Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shasta, Solis, and Cidney travel further back in time as one last push to fix the future for the better. They are going to the Fall of Insomnia and hoping the Immortal Accursed doesn't make them and ruin everything.  
> Of course, things never quite go to plan.

The next rift was found within the ruined altar. The group was dressed in black and holding hands. Solis nodded to them before they leapt into the ripples and landed in a fountain. They looked up.

“It’s the Citadel. It still stands!” Cidney said. Shasta held her arms up. They were surrounded by Crownsguard. The uniforms hadn’t changed. Cidney joined her and Solis copied them. Someone looked a bit too closely at Solis and Shasta which led to them being dragged deep within the Citadel and shoved in separate interrogation rooms. Shasta hoped the other two didn’t crack.

“So, care to explain yourself?” It was Cor! He looked so _young_.

“Well, Marshal, I could but I _doubt_ you’d believe me,” Shasta said.

“You and your two companions appeared from a portal in the sky. A type of magic we have never seen here in Lucis,” Cor said.

“It’s a rift. They happen between time periods for some reason. We fell through it,” Shasta said.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Solis fidgeted as Clarus Amicitia, the long dead patriarch of the Amicitia clan stared him down. He was almost as scary as Gladio whenever someone took his last cup noodle.

“Who are you?”

“Solis.”

“Solis…..?”

“You’d never believe me,” Solis said.

“I’m sure that Lucis Caelum blue eyes are common then,” Clarus said. Solis flinched.

“Solis Lucis Caelum.”

“Alright, and _how_ are you a Lucis Caelum?”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“You look an awful lot like a photo my old friend sent me of his granddaughter,” Cidney was sweating buckets. She had been handed off to King Regis himself.

“Coincidence?”

“I might have pretended to have believed you if you hadn’t phrased it as a question.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“…and that’s how we three need up here,” Shasta said.

“You’re trying to claim you’re Clarus’s granddaughter from the future and that young man with you is King Regis’s future grandson?” Cor said.

“Yep.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“Did they tell you the same story about time travel?” Clarus asked once Cor exited the room and Regis joined him.

“They did. Perhaps we should switch the targets. Clarus, perhaps you should interrogate this possible Amicitia while I take a closer look at this supposed future prince,” Regis said.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Solis slumped forwards. There was no way they believed his story, even if it _was_ the truth. Someone else entered and his breath caught in his throat. Regis. _Grandfather_.

“There is an easy way for you to prove yourself,” Regis said.

“How?”

“Magic.” Solis blinked. He was an idiot. Lucii were the only majorly magical line even _after_ the Prophecy was fulfilled. Solis reached for ice energy and produced a small ice sculpture of Carbuncle. Regis took it gently and studied Solis a little more carefully.

“Why are you here in this time?”

“We need to stop Ravus from putting on the Ring of the Lucii,” Solis said, “When the city falls, he loses his arm to it and eventually is turned into a daemon from the magitek arm the empire gives him.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Clarus stared down Shasta. It was looking at a feminized version of Gladiolus, and it was slightly unsettling.She certainly showed a lot of flesh like he did, with barely anything to cover her chest leaving a lot of muscles exposed. _That must drive Gladio nuts in the future._

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-five. Pops looks like you in my time. You have the same hair style,” Shasta said. Clarus arched an eyebrow at the disrespectful words, but he could tell that underneath that was nothing but love and admiration.

“So, your other blonde friend is Cid’s Great-Grandaughter?” Clarus asked.

“How’d you guess that? She look like he did or something?” Shasta asked.

“No, but I figured if you were running around with two blonds, one of them had to be Cid’s kin. His family has a habit of ending up in the strangest predicaments.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

“Shasta had the most intel about the pending attack,” Cor said whenever he, Clarus, and Regis reconvened later,“She also seems to be the one most aware of how delicate this situation is.”

“They’re here a month in advance of the date she gives for the Invasion of Insomnia. Any interactions between them and their young parents could be disastrous to the future,” Regis said.

“The girls could easily be folded in with the Crowngaurd recruits, it’s Solis that remains the problem. Even if he didn’t look like a blond version of Noctis, his powers are that of a Lucian Royal or a Glaive,” Clarus said.

“I have an idea on how to address that,” Regis said.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Noctis entered his father’s private office after he’d been summoned to to Citadel via a politely worded request passed on through Ignis via a direct contact from his Uncle, and over all he was to be discreet. Which meant Noctis snuck into the Citadel via a few passages he’d found as a child. He was quick and silent as he snuck through the Citadel and arrived right on time. There was some blond guy standing next to Regis looking extremely nervous.

“Any reason for all this cloak and dagger stuff?” Noctis asked.

“Meet Solis Oriens. He is to be your security double,” Regis said. The blond guy waved.

“A Security double? Is this a joke!” Noctis demanded.

“He’s one of the more recent Glaive recruits and I happened to notice he bore a striking resemblance to you,” Regis said. He nodded to Solis who picked up a black wig and pulled it on carefully. With the bright blond locks hidden, Noctis suddenly saw the stark resemblance between him and this other guy.

“And since he’s a Glaive, he can still do magic and no one would be the wiser,” Noctis said, “Why don’t you have a double?”

“The Ring is rather singular in nature, and it would do little good,” Regis said. Solis pulled the wig off, “All I ask is that you allow him to tail you for a couple weeks so that he might learn your mannerisms and movements.”

“No thanks, that’s not gonna happen,” Noctis said, “Even with two years he’d never pull it off.”

“All I need is four days and I could fool anyone,” Solis said.

“Really. Prove it,” Noctis said, “I’ll let you tag along for four days and afterwards switch places with me and see how many people notice.”

“Deal.”

—————————————————————————————————————————————

Four Days Later

Solis looked at his reflection after an expert make-up artist had managed to turn his pale eye brows and eye lashes dark while a hair stylist securely pinned the raven colored wig to his head before she worked on styling it like Noctis’s usual style.

“It really _is_ eerie,” Noctis remarked from across the room.

“So, who am I fooling?” Solis asked.

“Prompto, Iggy, and Gladio. If you can get through a training session without them suspecting you, then you’ve won the bet,” Noctis said.

“Your best friends?” Solis asked.

“You said _anyone_ ,” Noctis said.

“Fine,” Solis said. If Noctis was going to cheat, fine. _To be fair, I was already cheating because I’m his son and have known him my whole life and spent most of it emulating him_.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

When Solis slid into a perfect imitation of Noctis’s usual gait, Noctis knew he’d miscalculated somehow. Had he bet against some sort of acting prodigy or something? Or worse yet, some creepy fanboy. _There’s no way a creepy fanboy would have made it through the screening process, I hope_. Noctis donned a Glaive uniform and had the hood up as he trailed behind Solis who made his way to the training gym where Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto were waiting.

“Heyas!” Prompto said.

“Hey. Waiting long?” Solis asked.

“Long enough, now let’s quit yapping and start training!” Gladio ordered. Noctis slipped inside and stood off to the side. Ignis looked over at him for a moment before joining the fray. It was just so unsettling how much Solis moved like Noctis. It was like he wasn’t even trying as he fought the others and warped with an ease most recruits didn’t have. Who _was_ this kid?The training session ended with Gladio going over where people went wrong.

“Highness, since when do we have Glaives evaluating our sessions?” Ignis asked.

“Oh, hey! When did he get here?” Prompto rubbed the back of his neck.

“What, His Majesty want a status report or something?” Gladio mused. Solis just shrugged it off like he would have.

“Who knows,” he said yawning. Damn he was good.

“Perhaps it has something to do with that secret breach five days ago,” Ignis said.

“Security breach?” Solis asked with the right amount of curiosity, which was what kept Noctis from blowing this.

“Yes. Allegedly three people got through the gates, and the Crownsguard quickly had them in custody,” Ignis said.

“If it was important, I’d have gotten a report about it, right?” Solis said.

“If you actually read it,” Gladio said. Prompto snickered. Solis looked over at Noctis with a quirked eyebrow. He’d seen enough. The guys had no clue that wasn’t him. Noctis walked over and pulled the hood off.

“Whoa. Where’d the second Noct come from!” Prompto asked, “Is one of you a clone?”

“Nothing as interesting as that,” Solis said carefully pulling the pins out of his hair and then removing the wig revealing his bright blond hair, which was very messy.

“This is my Security double,” Noctis said gesturing at Solis, “Solis Oriens.”

“Pleasure!” Solis said. Noctis pulled the Glaive jacket off revealing his Prince Fatigues underneath allowing them to swap outfits. Once the hood was up, anyone outside the room would be none the wiser after the wig was banished to subspace by Solis.

“Where the hell did the King find this guy?” Gladio asked.

“Glaive recruits,” Noctis said.

“So, where ya from?” Prompto asked.

“I’m—my mother’s from Tenebrae but my Father’s from Lucis, and he raised me alone after my mother died,” Solis said. Noctis nodded. He could understand.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Three Weeks later

Noctis and the others snuck out of the Citadel in the middle of the Night after he’d said goodbye to his father.

_One Week Ago_

“What?”

“It’s much safer if the Niflheim contingent doesn’t know you’ve left,” Regis said gesturing to Solis who was once again dressed up as Noctis.

“That’s the real reason you recruited him to be my double,” Noctis said, “What’s going on?”

“Maybe nothing, but I’d rather be wrong and have you out of the city a bit ahead of schedule than to be right with you here,” Regis said. Nocits looked into Regis’s eyes and he nodded.

“Alright, we’ll sneak out, but I don’t have to like it.”

“Not even if I still let you use the Regalia?” Regis said.

 

_One Hour prior_

“Know that you carry all of us with you. Walk Tall my Son.” Regis embraced Noctis tightly within the secret passage they’d arranged to meet up in.

“Take care of him,” Noctis said to Solis.

“I will. You take care of yourself, Your Highness,” Solis said.

 

_Present_

Solis stood watching the dawn. His hair had been dyed a few weeks prior to help reduce the smell and help mask the texture of the hair dye, though it was very advanced dye, so it didn’t take long. They had even an eye safe version they used on his eye brows and eyelashes.

“We have one more thing to do,” Regis said which made Solis look back at him confused. Regis gestured for Solis to follow him. They reached a different secret passage.

“How is it you could warp before the Crystal accepted you?” Regis asked.

“It’s called the Silver Light. It was granted to my father after the Dawn, and after my mother…took his place,” Solis said rubbing his arm self consciously, “It’s within us, and while we can still confer sword-sworn bonds, nothing like a glaive or either Wall can ever exist again.”

“Does it also manifest as blades?” Regis asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Solis summoned what looked like the armiger for a few seconds before he dismissed it, “Why?”

“If what Shasta said is true, there is a traitor deep within the heart of Insomnia and they might already know about “Solis Oriens” and Noctis’s departure,” Regis said, “If the Niflheim contingent should ask it of you to prove that you are not a mere Glaive—.”

“I’ll summon the blades. We still call it the armiger out of respect for the powers that were,” Solis said.

“I wish that we could have met within the proper flow of time,” Regis said.

“Me too.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Whenever Lunafreya was presented to King Regis and Prince Noctis after all these years she was taken aback by how much Noctis had grown, except that wasn’t Noctis! It was something only an Oracle would be able to see, but it was just enough for her to know the man masquerading as Noctis wasn’t really him, but knew him enough to fool everyone else.

 _The Niflheim rulers have never actually met Noctis before, they would have no idea they are being tricked_.She kept up the charade, though. Whoever this was, he even fooled her escort, Nyx Ulric.

“Here I thought the Prince was supposed to exit the city before all this,” he remarked.

“Perhaps it was decided that putting on a united front would be better,” Lunafreya said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Solis was nervous as he stood watching the fireworks. One wrong move and the Niflheim contingent would know he wasn’t Noctis. He’d seen the extra long look his young mother had given him.

“So, you’re really the Prince of Lucis?” Solis looked over at Ardyn Izunia and his heart nearly stopped. He’d heard stories of the Immortal Accursed and there he was paying him way too much attention. Solis reacted as Noctis would have.

“And you’re the Chancellor of Niflheim,” Solis said. He wasn’t lying by accepting that title. He _was_ a Prince of Lucis. Just not this iteration of it.

“You know, I heard this rumors that you’re not really Prince Noctis, but a very cleverly disguised Glaive posing as him,” Ardyn said.

“And how you would have me prove it?” Solis asked.

“By simply asking you prove you are really the man you claim to be,” Ardyn said.

“I’m afraid summoning the armiger here might undo all your hard work in orchestrating this cease fire,” Solis said.

“Oh, I can see to that, now come let’s see the blades,” Ardyn said. Solis narrowed his eyes wondering what the immortal was after but he summoned his armiger. Ardyn was genuinely shocked. Solis dismissed them quickly.

“They are indeed impressive looking. Though, they look rather different than they’re supposedly purported to look,” Ardyn said.

“Have you seen them in action then, Chancellor?” Solis asked. He regretted it. It was impulsive and just the thing his father would have said. What could be said except that he was his father’s son.

“Oh, I can’t say that I have, recently,” Ardyn said.

“With the treaty, hopefully you never will,” Solis said before he took a few steps away. That’s whenever he finally realized time was frozen.

“You know, time has been frozen for the last several moments and yet you never noticed it,” Ardyn said, “I know that you are not Noctis Lucis Caelum because I just saw him in Gauldin Quay. You could claim that was a Glaive decoy, but like the Lady Oracle, I can tell when I’m looking at person who they’re supposed to be. Illusions are, after all a specialty of mine. Not to mention I can see the barest hints of blond at your roots. A blond Lucis Caelum is nothing I’ve seen before,” Ardyn said.

“What do you want?” Solis asked.

“Your real name, if you would,” Ardyn demanded.

“I could ask the same of you, Chancellor,” Solis said.

“Ah, so you know who I am, that would mean…you’re one of the ones who fell through that rift. Oh, how precious! So this is what would happen if the Oracle and the King of Light have a child,” Ardyn remarked, “Though, with the delicate state the Oracle would have been in, your existence should be impossible, but here you are. I feel perhaps I should take some steps to ensure such a marvelous specimen stands before me one day. In fact, I shall.” Solis took a step away from Ardyn.

“You know that you cannot defeat me. If you wish to exit this time freeze, simply tell me your real name,” Ardyn said.

“Solis.”

“Named for the sun, how quaint,” Ardyn said, “As I promised, time has resumed, dear Prince. I do hope your presence hasn’t upset the timeline too much.”

“You’d be the first to know,” Solis said, “All the same, you keep my secret and I’ll keep yours.”

“It would appear we’ve reached an agreement.” Ardyn strolled away, and Solis let out a sigh of relief.

“It would appear the Chancellor is also on to you.” Solis jumped and looked at Lady Lunafreya.

“I apologize for the deception, but it was King Regis’s idea,” Solis said, “With my great resemblance, it was hard to pass the opportunity up.”

“I suppose it would be,” Lady Lunafreya said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Solis cursed as he blocked the attacks from the others in the Nif contingent. He knew the attack took place during the signing ceremony, but what he didn’t count was for some lunatic in armor to try to gore him and Clarus with his giant sword. He’d been forced to bring out his armiger startling those who had sort of been let in the fact that he wasn’t Noctis. Clarus’s look at him made him shrug. Not like he had a choice if he wanted to survive.

“Get to the King!” Solis yelled.

“You cannot keep this up for long, Glaive!”

“Long enough. Also, couldn’t you tell? I’m not actually a Glaive!” Solis said before he tried to throw a thundara at the man. Not being a master magician made this hard but he let the electricity flow out and the general blocked it with his sword, reflecting his own lightning energy back. It hurt, and he could smell something _chemical_? He was sent into a wall and he heard Clarus yell. He staggered up to see Clarus had been impaled and Glauca had slashed the ring off. The ring! He warped to it barely stopping Ravus from grabbing it. He flipped away.

“So, he kept you close after a-who are you?” Ravus was staring at him. Solis gave him an odd look.

“Someone who is preventing you from making a huge mistake,” Solis said.

“I need that power.”

“It’s not yours to take!” Solis yelled. He heard movement and he turned his head to see it was Lady Lunafreya and an actual Glaive. They were staring at him too. He ran to Regis’s side while Lady Lunafreya joined him. He handed off the ring to Regis’s other hand as he then blocked the attack from Ravus and the General.

“Any reason you guys are staring?” Solis asked.

“Half your hair is blond,” Nyx said.

“Oh, so that dye got vaporized. Great!” Solis said.

“So, you’re really not Prince Noctis? How’re you using the armiger then?” Nyx asked.

“That’s a good question, and in the interest of existing later in the timeline, I can’t answer that,” Solis said.

“In the elevator, quick!” Regis ordered. Solis threw a dagger warping in next to Nyx. Lady Lunafreya ripped her skirt to bandage Regis’s hand. Solis saw his reflection in the door panel and cringed. His hair from the roots to half-way down was back to being blond with black tips. Looked like a bad dye job. The dye on his eyebrows and lashes was completely gone. He was also gamely ignoring the argument Nyx was having with Regis and Lady Lunafreya. It was only after Solis sighed at how bad the hair looked that he seemed to remember he was there.

“So, Timeline? Are you trying to claim time-travel?” Nyx asked.

“Of all the things, your mind jumped to that right away?” Solis said, “Yeah. I’ll just say it. Hi from the future.”

“So, you’re another Lucis Caelum, but you’re _blond_?” Lady Lunafreya said.

“Let’s stop speculating about my future existence, ok? The less you think about it, the more chances I have of being born,” Solis said. Lady Lunafreya gasped and yanked on Solis’s collar staring at his face more closely. **Shit**. She _knew_. Nyx also quirked an eyebrow. Double shit.

“I guess you’re a sign she gets out of this,” Nyx said. Solis sighed.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Solis averted his eyes whenever Glauca killed Regis. He kept up with Nyx and Lady Lunafreya as they ran. He still couldn’t get through to Shasta or Cidney.

“Damnit!” he cursed.

“So, what now?” Nyx asked him after he failed to get through to Drautos.

“I don’t know. We had sort of thought that the rift back to the future would appear after I stopped Ravus from putting the Ring of the Lucii on,” Solis said.

“What would have happened?” Nyx asked.

“It would have rejected him,” Lady Lunafreya said.

“Costing him his arm, and later his life,” Solis said, “Basically, if any non-Lucii puts that ring on, it will burn them up.” Solis slapped his head.

“Lady Lunafreya, let me borrow it, I can activate that Old Wall!”

“You haven’t been born yet. Don’t you fear the Lucii rejecting you?” Lady Lunafreya asked.

“Better me than someone who isn’t a Lucii,” Solis said. The car was attacked by an airship full of Glaive traitors. Solis nodded to Nyx and Lady Lunafreya before he opened the back door and summoned a dagger warping into the ship. They all stared at him in shock.

“But you’re supposed to be a—.”

“Surprise,” Solis said. He pulled on the fire energy he had available to him and cast his largest spell yet: a firaga. The ship blew up, and he warped back into the car panting and shivering.

“That was insane!” Nyx yelled.

“Worked, didn’t it?” Solis said. He looked back to Lady Lunafreya, “Please.”

“Very well,” Lady Lunafreya said placing it in his hand. Solis slipped it on with a cry and it felt like time had stopped.

 _“What is this? A child misplaced by time_.”

 _“You seek to wield a power lost by your time by the course of providence and fate to spare a people that are not yet yours? Are you willing to pay the price?_ ”

“Of course I am,” Solis said, “I’m my father’s son. Activate the Old Wall through me.”

 _“Your powers will be greatly diminished while the wall is active. You will be down to the powers of an ordinary Glaive.”_ It was Regis.

“I understand.” Time resumed and it felt like a burning behind his eyes before statues around the city came to life.

“The Old Wall. You really did it!” Nyx said.

“Yeah, but while it’s active, I can’t use the armiger,” Solis said slipping the ring off handing it back to Lady Lunafreya.

“Your eyes….they’re glowing,” Lady Lunafreya said. Solis glanced up and his eyes were glowing bright blue in the mirror. He felt so….weak. A car wheeled up next to them. In it were Shasta and Cidney. Cidney was driving while Shasta stood up, greatsword drawn.

“My shield,” Solis said pointing to Shasta.

“Hey! Who woke up the statues?” Shasta asked.

“I did!” Solis yelled back.

“What? But that could majorly wreck the past!” Cidney yelled.

“No. The Old Wall was supposed to activate,” Shasta said, “So he just screwed up whoever was supposed to actually do it.”

“Any news on the Rift out?” Solis yelled.

“Afraid not!”

“Watch out!” In another timeline Lunafreya and Nyx would end up on rooftops. In this one, the Statue of the Wise destroyed the airship and magitek armor before either could open fire upon the pair of cars.

“We need to split up,” Shasta said, “So, we’re going to need our Prince back and you need to get the future Queen to safety.”

“You always this pushy?” Nyx asked.

“Family trait. You should see my dad when he’s in a mood,” Shasta said, “Now get your ass over here, Sol!”

“See you in the future, kid,” Nyx said. Solis nodded to him,

“It was nice to see you like this,” Solis said to Lady Lunafreya before he threw a dagger and warped into the open car.

“Are your legs broken or something, lazy bones?” Shasta asked.

“I don’t trust my legs not to give out on me while that Wall is active,” Solis said.

“Oh. Good luck! Hit it, Argentum!”

“Rodger that, Amicitia!” Nyx and Lady Lunafreya exchanged glances.

“Ready to get out of this city, Princess?” Nyx asked.

“Of course,” Lady Lunafreya said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“I see Rift Ripples, but its in mid air!” Shasta said.

“There will be other rifts, right?” Solis said.

“Yeah, but the longer we’re here, the greater the chances of mucking things up,” Shasta said, “This **_so_** wasn’t part of the loop.”

“I can get up there, but you’re gonna have to hope we land on something solid,” Cidney said. The car sped up and jumped the barrier. In mid air, Shasta got an inkling of regretting this idea, but once through the rift the ground was actually a lot closer and the jolt was only slightly jarring. Solis threw the back door open and vomited onto the ground.

“Her driving isn’t that bad. Oh shit, is that blood?”

“He activated that Old Wall. Quick, we need to get him to a hospital!” Cidney said. Shasta ripped off part of her shirt to use to wipe up Solis’s mouth. His body was wracked with shudders and he was cool to the touch.

“Where are we?” Shasta asked.

“Looks like we’re about five minutes from Lestallum, but it’s not like I’ve ever seen it, even when overcast from rain,” Cidney said. She pushed forwards darting around daemons that formed on the road.

“We didn’t make it all the way back to the future. Damn it!” Shasta cursed. They screeched into Lestallum and hunters checked them over for scourge and were very wary of Solis.

“We need to get him to a doctor, he’s throwing up blood!” Cidney yelled.

“Wait a sec—I thought you were back in your time?” Prompto had appeared from the crowds.

“Things went…haywire,” Cidney said. Prompto noticed Solis and rushed him with a potion in his hands.

“Sip it slow, ok?” Solis weakly nodded. The potion did its job and his color returned.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“So this is your third time meeting me, right?” Prompto asked. They’d followed him back to his shared apartment.

“In this whole adventure. Yeah, I guess it is,” Shasta said, “Even for him too.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Prompto asked.

“He’s the one who activated the Old Wall,” Cidney said.

“Oh shit.”

“I knew the price,” Solis said. Everyone jumped, he’d been so quiet up until that point.

“Well, whatever you did, you bought a lot of people time to get out of Insomnia, and you even ruined the Empire’s day by having the Old Wall Active. The suckers lasted until half-way through the next day, smashing the Empire’s troops and blockades within the city. Their Provisional government was never able to really get a good hold on Lucis afterwards,” Prompto said.

“We need another rift,” Shasta said, “We need to get him back to future Insomnia where they might have better ways of fixing whatever damage was done to him.”

“Well, can’t promise you anything but Aranea’s ship should be landing soon with more supplies and survivors,” Prompto said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Seen any weird waves in the air? Oh, it’s you kids again, plus a new one I haven’t seen before,” Aranea said.

“We left the others in the future. We need those waves because they’re rifts in time,” Shasta said.

“Well I might have seen some near Cape Caem,” Aranea said, “But it’s not safe to get there by land.”

“Please. We need to get him back to the future as soon as we can,” Cidney said gesturing to Solis, who was unconscious again.

“He looks an awful lot like—oh. Future Prince?” Aranea said.

“You bet your ass,” Shasta said.

“And you’re his shield. Naturally. Give us time to unload and refuel,” Aranea said.

“Thanks. You’re a life-saver. Literally,” Cidney said.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Solis opened his eyes once the ship landed.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“Cape Caem, let’s get going and hope this is the Rift we need,” Shasta said. She slung him over her should and leapt through the air, which tugged at him like every other rift had. His vision blackedout. The next time he opened his eyes, he felt a lot better. Leaning over his bed was his mother? _They’d succeeded!_

“We did it,” he said.

“Yes. The Six weren’t happy with all of your meddling, of course, but in the end there was little they could do to stop the changes,” Luna said placing a hand on his cheek. His eyes slid shut again as a dark figure had approached his bed.

 

Shasta was not even surprised Solis was out again. The damage he’d done activating the Old Wall had been extensive.

“So, Pops, everything lining up in your head ok?” Shasta asked.

“Yeah, I still remember how things originally ended up, and even with the alterations you guys still fail to recognize Noctis as a twenty year old,” Gladilous said.

“I guess I really can’t blame them for that, now can I?” Noctis had moved to stand by Luna. While he wasn’t as ravaged by the Crystal as his father had been, his hair was still silver, and his eyes were now permanently red in color. The beard was also a factor. His resemblance to King Regis was almost uncanny, though the same could be said for Lunafreya’s resemblance to the late Queen Sylva.

“I remember it a little too. It still starts with the five of us who originally were supposed to time travel, and then a rift opens and drags Solis into the past after we took our second trip back with your younger selves after you older ones mention our interference in Altissia and then the final trip is because Queen Luna tells us about us interfering during the Invasion to stop Ravus from putting on that ring. We’ve completed a loop of corrections of time,” Shasta said, “Still gonna kick your ass, Pops!”

“Name the day and the place. I still need to kick your ass for getting those tattoos and hiding them. Did you really think I was gonna care? You saw my ink. You’re an Amicitia. Someday your brother will get them too,” Gladiolus said.

“So, how are you two going to break it to Solis that the Lucii’s sick sense of humor meant that instead of prematurely aging him, like using the Ring’s power did to every other Lucii, that instead he is now a teenager physically again?” Prompto asked. Cid and Cidney flanked him.

“We’ll just let him find out the same way you guys let me find out about my red eyes,” Noctis said.

“Dude! It wasn’t like we _knew_ they were permanently red at the time!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are to the second half of Fixing things in the Fix-it.  
> Epilogue will be up shortly.
> 
> BTW because of things, Crowe lived too. Because of the time travelers being there Regis decided against that plan. So, Nyx, Crowe, and Libertus have a nice happy life, and the guys have their bar up and running (Libertus more than Nyx who is still a part of things in Nova Insomnia but he's there on weekends).
> 
> Left off from the information about Solis's timeline: the side-effect of nearly dying whenever he still detonated the Crystal, Noctis had his hair turned pure silver and his eyes red.  
> Solis has seen pictures of the darker haired blue-eyed Noctis growing up, but the others wouldn't have because once the loop was in effect, they had to make sure the two loops of corrections happened.  
> That and the red-eyes are really striking so any pictures of a blue-eyed Noctis would have been overlooked because the others had never _seen_ Noctis without red eyes.


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The timeline has been changed for the better and the loops are in place. Now it's time to face the consequences of time travel and the future still ahead for everyone.  
> Though, one thing was certain: the future was much brighter now than it had been previously.

Solis sat by the reflection pool in Statuary Park. The Old Citadel had been too damaged by the Crystal’s explosion, and was still torn down and flattened for the park. His younger baby face made him cringe, but he didn’t really regret it.

“Thought I’d find you here. You know, according to the Queen, I was supposed to die in a blaze of glory.”

“Nyx?” Solis looked up to see an older Nyx Ulric standing next to his seat.

“Before your little time adventure, it was always Mr. Ulric,” Nyx said, “Now I’ve finally got you using my name.”

“So, when did you realize—.”

“That I was supposed to be dead the whole time? Whenever the others were surprised to see me. Even with the alterations to time, the King’s men, himself, and the Queen never had their memories fully erased by the time ripples. Probably has something to do with their powers. Can’t say I’m too mad that I didn’t get to die in a blaze of glory. I got to live to help others see their futures, and to see boredom. At least until a certain group of kids decided to poke around Lucis,” Nyx said.

“I didn’t go along at first because….I was busy,” Solis said. He had new memories of the five begging him to go along for their Mystery but as a Prince he had a job. Often boring, but peace does that. He only ended up in the past by accident.

“Most fun I’ve had in years. I wasn’t here to talk, though. Your father’s looking for you.”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Noctis was in his office, as he could be found most days dealing with paperwork. With the pale silver his hair had been turned by the final detonation of the crystal, it was easier to see resemblance between the two lighter haired men.

“Nyx said you were looking for me,” Solis said. Noctis looked up and nodded.

“You know, you’re actually a miracle,” Noctis said, “Because of everything, we thought that we’d never have kids. The Prophecy was very final.” Solis nodded.

“Ardyn knew who I was,” Solis said, “From looking at me he could tell I wasn’t you.”

“Because the Silver Light would look different than the Light of the Stone,” Noctis said.

“He did seem….fascinated by what my existence meant,” Solis said.

“The others have already been told this by their respective parents, but next time you see a rift, **don’t** go in it,” Noctis said, “I’m glad I’m actually alive and that Luna’s alive but any more damage to the time stream could end up with far reaching consequences.”

“I promise. I didn’t even seek out that first rift. Come to think of it…. _Nox_ shoved me into it,” Solis said. Noctis shook his head.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“What do you mean you’re the one who pushed Prince Solis into a rift?”

“Daddy said he saw him in the past, so I decided to make sure he got there!”

“Nox Argentum you are grounded from your tools for two months!”

“No, Mama, **_please_**!”

————————————————————————————————————————————————

“Cindy already grounded her. Heyas!” Prompto stuck his head in the room with Cidney and Cid on his heels, “Luna sent us. Wanted to know if you two were still going to attend Solis’s birthday party?”

“That’s today?” Solis and Noctis said at the same time before they rushed out. Prompto laughed.

“Funny what time traveling will do for your sense of time, huh?”

_—Fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This could be the twenty-something in me, but for me, becoming a teenager again would be a _nightmare_.  
>  Sure I'd like the metabolism and the energy but other than that being a teenager sucked.  
> Not to mention the fact was before this, Solis was oldest in every way. Now, physically he's down with Candesca, Nox, and Arum. The babies of the group.  
> Shasta will _not_ let him live that down, I assure you.  
>  All's well that ends well.  
> This will probably not be my last Fix-it fic and probably not the last time my readers will see Solis.  
> He wasn't originally part of this fic, but he barged right in and now he's one of my favorite next-gen OC's.


End file.
